Anne Wolfe

Stuart Rothenberg, the editor and publisher of The Rothenberg Political Report, wasn't impressed with Dennis Shulman's campaign for Congress

Worth noting are the comments of Stuart Rothenberg, the editor and publisher of The Rothenberg Political Report, a non-partisan political newsletter covering U.S. House, Senate and gubernatorial campaigns, Presidential politics and political developments, on the race for Congress in New Jersey's fifth district between Democrat Dennis Shulman and U.S. Rep. Scott Garrett (R-Wantage):

Some clever campaign tactics, a successful fundraising operation, newspaper endorsements, a political environment that was advantageous to Democrats, and a late campaign visit from Christopher Van Hollen wasn't enough to help blind Rabbi Dennis Shulman run any stronger against U.S. Rep. Scott Garrett than any of this the three previous Democratic candidates.  Garrett beat Shulman 56%-42%, a stronger showing than his 55%-44% win over Paul Stuart Aronsohn in 2006.  Anne Wolfe won 41% in 2005, and Anne Sumers won 38% in 2002.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has added New Jersey's fifth district to their "Red to Blue" fundaising program "once thought to be out of reach."  The Republican incumbent, Scott Garrett, faces Dennis Shulman, a blind Rabbi who has run an aggressive and surprisingly well-financed campaign in a district that hasn't elected a Democratic Congressman since 1978.  But the Red to Blue list is clearly not the DCCC's first-tier campaigns, and inclusion in the program doesn't assure any meaningful campaign dollars or substantial political support and includes over sixty House races nationally where Democrats aren't completely optimistic.  Josh Zeitz, who is challenging fifteen-term incumbent Christopher Smith in the fourth district, was added to the Red to Blue list in September.  Smith is still viewed as a safe bet for re-election.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer's PAC has contributed $5,000 to 5th district Democratic congressional candidate Dennis Shulman: Getty Images Photo
PARAMUS -- Sitting at a conference table at IBEW Local 164's headquarters with congressionalcandidate Dennis Shulman, several labor officials and two reporters this morning, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) was asked whether he planned to back up his visible support of Shulman with a significant amount of cash.

Hoyer, smiling, pulled an envelope out of his pocket and handed it to Shulman.

"Here's another $2,500. Talk is cheap, right?" said Hoyer. "It's not in the mail. It's in his pocket now."

It was the second $2,500 check that Hoyer's political action committee, AmeriPAC, had given to Schulman's campaign - something he said would be a taste of things to come if Shulman continues to run a vigorous campaign against three-term Rep. Scott Garrett in the fifth congressional district.

Running off the line, attorney Camille Abate won 40% in the 2006 Democratic congressional primary

At a breakfast hosted by the Democratic State Committee today, congressional candidate Camille Abate mentioned to Democratic National Chairman Howard Dean that she is running for Congress against Scott Garrett.

“He’s the worst,” said Dean.

But despite Dean’s personal opinion, national Democrats apparently don’t think enough of it to pump many resources into a fight against him. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced that they have three targets in 2008, and Garrett isn’t one of them.

Democrat Anne Wolfe says she dropped her bid for Congress in the fifth district because Republican Scott Garrett is not beatable in 2006. "Because of the 30,000 vote gap that has caused disinterest from all pollsters, pundits and endorsing groups in Washington D.C. the 5th Congressional District is not a viable race in the 2006 cycle," Wolfe told PoliticsNJ.com. "If you examine all poll and projections for races targeted you do not find the 5th in New Jersey cited. I heard over and over again from potential contributors and donors that the race 'has viability problems.'" Wolfe says that her decision not to seek a rematch with Garrett had nothing to do with a primary challenge from former McGreevey spokesman Paul Aronsohn.

Anne Wolfe has decided not to run for Congress in 2006, leaving former McGreevey Press Secretary Paul Aronsohn as the clear front runner for the Democratic nomination in the 5th district.

Anne Wolfe, Democratic candidate for New Jersey’s Fifth Congressional District, issued the following statement:

“In my 2004 campaign, and since formally filing my candidacy for the 2006 race with the Federal Election Commission this June, I have carefully followed federal election law. Unfortunately, it has become clear that one of my potential opponents for the Democratic nomination in the Fifth District has not.