WOOD-RIDGE - Among the crowd of dignitaries standing with President Obama's senior advisor David Axelrod and U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman today was Paterson Mayor Jeff Jones.

"You're endorsing Steve Rothman?" PolitickerNJ.com asked the mayor.

"I'm here," said Jones under the twinkling lights of the Fiesta catering hall as the curtain parted and Rothman bounded onto a stage with Axelrod and state Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-36) in front of an animated crowd.

Jones later told PolitickerNJ.com that Axelrod's presence in the district got his attention.

"I makes a big statement," said Jones. "This state needs to go forward. It cannot go back to where it was."

He said his presence should not be considered an endorsement of Rothman over his fellow Patersonian U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell.