Rep. Christopher Smith (R-Hamilton) isn’t taking his bid for a 15th term for granted, raising $143,300 over the last three months and now has $503,944 cash on hand.  His Democratic challenger, history professor Josh Zeitz, raised $108,101 during the same period.  Zeitz has raised $259,267 so far and has $124,535 in the bank.

Statewide, Zeitz ranks second in challenger fundraising.  Dennis Shulman, a blind Rabbi and psychologist running against Rep. Scott Garrett (R-Wantage) raised $270,000 last quarter, according to his campaign.  He has raised $585,000 so far, with $258,000 cash on hand.

Most New Jersey challengers are faring poorly in the fundraising game.

Camille Andrews’ Scandalous Spending

Inactive, non-responsive campaign spends
almost $43,000 with no public appearances

BARRINGTON – Dale Glading, candidate for U.S. Congress in New Jersey’s 1st District, criticized the placeholder campaign of Camille Andrews and her party boss, George Norcross III, for their big-spending ways.

“Camille Andrews has been invited on numerous occasions to appear with me in a public debate,” Glading said. “She has not had the courtesy to even respond to these invitations, much less appear, and now we find that she is raising nearly twice what the median household in our district earns in a year. This is the very model of what is wrong with politics today.”

Andrews reported raising just over $72,000 in her most recent FEC report, filed for July 15. She spent almost $43,000 of it on consultants and miscellaneous expenditures.

“To our knowledge, Andrews has made no public appearances, and we have not seen a single yard sign or piece of campaign literature bearing her name,” said Tim Saler, Glading’s campaign manager. “She has refused to appear before the voters, and yet somehow she has managed to spend almost as much on consultants – in three months – as the median household in our district earns in an entire year.”

“It’s just another example of how out of touch the machine politicians are,” Saler added. “Camille Andrews and Boss Norcross have spent more in three months on a fake candidate’s fake campaign than most people in the district make in a year. The people of our district are struggling to make ends meet; they can’t afford to write $2,300 checks to win Boss Norcross’ favor.”

“Being a part of the Norcross money machine is nice work, if you can get it,” Saler concluded. “But the rest of us need a Congressman too. That’s why Dale Glading is running, and that’s why he’s going to win.”

Glading Announces Campaign Theme:
The People’s House is Not For Sale

Independent, unbossed congressional candidate
announces three-point pledge

BARRINGTON – Dale Glading, candidate for U.S. Congress in New Jersey’s 1st District, announced today his campaign theme for the general election race: “The People’s House is Not For Sale.” A three-point pledge accompanied Glading’s new campaign theme, outlined below.

“For too long, the career politicians and the Norcross machine have been selling the 1st District seat in Congress to the highest bidder,” Glading said. “It’s time to put a stop to pay-to-play politics, where party bosses trade campaign contributions for access to power.”

The three points of Glading’s reform pledge are:

(1) End pay-to-play and quid pro quo politics
It is time to put a stop to the corrupt earmark system in Congress. Career politicians trade federal handouts – in other words, our taxpayer dollars – to big corporations in exchange for huge campaign contributions. Dale Glading pledges not to request any federal earmarks in Congress. We cannot justify allowing career politicians to use our money to sell their office to big corporate donors.

(2) Reform the campaign finance system
The Norcross machine has sold the 1st Congressional District seat to the highest bidder. Financiers who wish to get in the good graces of Boss Norcross write big campaign checks to his candidates in order to win his favor. Dale Glading pledges to support federal campaign spending limits, indexed to inflation, that limit the ability of party bosses and financiers to trade campaign contributions for access to power.

(3) Implement congressional term limits
The Founding Fathers never intended for service in Congress to be a career. New Jersey is represented by a senator who has spent 24 years in Washington, and the 1st Congressional District’s most recent representative has spent 19 years there – and we, the taxpayers, have paid their salaries. Dale Glading pledges to serve no more than six terms (12 years) in Congress.

“I am running for Congress to represent the people of the 1st District, not the party bosses or the big-money financiers,” Glading concluded. “I will never sell out to the big corporations or the special interest lobbyists. It's time the 1st District had a congressman who is unbossed and unbought.”

Boss Norcross Celebrates 100 Days
of Disenfranchising Democrats

Rob Andrews declared for Senate 100 days ago;
Boss Norcross’s machine yet to coronate candidate

BARRINGTON – Dale Glading, candidate for U.S. Congress in New Jersey’s 1st District, issued a statement today criticizing George Norcross and his political machine for 100 days of delay, obstruction, and undemocratic conduct.

“It's been 100 days since Rob Andrews declared his intentions to run against Frank Lautenberg for the U.S. Senate,” Glading began. “That’s more than enough time to select a replacement candidate, which is exactly what Democrats were supposed to have done in the primary on June 3.”

“However, Camille Andrews says she takes her marching orders from Boss Norcross and not from the people she supposedly wants to represent,” Glading continued. “That means Democrats have been disenfranchised, and the entire election process has been defrauded.”

“It’s about time that someone reminded the career politicians and their pay-to-play party bosses that the 1st Congressional District doesn't belong to them, it belongs to the people,” Glading added. “I am running to serve the people of the district. My opponent du jour puts her political party above the people and their best interests.”

“Enough is enough,” Glading concluded. “The people of our district deserve to be treated better instead of being taken for granted by arrogant bureaucrats and lifelong politicians.”

Camille Andrews’ Campaign Insults
Respected South Jersey Institution

Representative of placeholder candidate
Camille Andrews smears local church

BARRINGTON – Dale Glading, candidate for U.S. Congress in New Jersey’s 1st District, today called on Camille Andrews to publicly denounce and apologize for her campaign’s attack on a respected member of the South Jersey community.

In an interview this week with Congressional Quarterly, a representative of Camille Andrews’ campaign said that Andrews would only appear before voters of the district in a debate setting “if and when nonpartisan credible organizations sponsor [them].” (“New Jersey Mystery: The Fate of Andrews’ House Seat”, Congressional Quarterly, July 6, 2008)

This comment followed Camille Andrews’ “no show” at a town hall meeting on June 30 sponsored by the First Baptist Church of Blackwood. Not only did Camille Andrews not attend the meeting, but she failed to even acknowledge the church’s invitation.

“Camille Andrews has been disrespecting the voters by failing to actively campaign or publicly discuss the important issues facing the people of our district,” said Glading. “Now she is directing her campaign to attack a highly respected institution in our district and an influential pastor in our community.”

The First Baptist Church of Blackwood has been actively involved in the Homeless Hospitality Network, the Church Street Project, Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, and a local food pantry.

In addition, Pastor Dave McMurray of the First Baptist Church currently serves on the Human Relations Commission in Gloucester Township and is a leading advocate of racial reconciliation in the district.

“For Camille Andrews’ representative to call First Baptist Church and its pastor ‘non-credible’ is an attack on the entire South Jersey community, and, in particular, on people of faith,” Glading declared. “She owes Pastor McMurray, the First Baptist Church, and all of South Jersey an apology for her campaign’s attack.”

Glading Campaigns Throughout District
Over Independence Day Holiday

Congressional candidate travels over 75 miles,
making six campaign stops in two days

BARRINGTON – Dale Glading, candidate for U.S. Congress in New Jersey’s 1st District, campaigned across the district over the Independence Day holiday. Glading traveled over 75 miles, making six campaign stops in two days.

Glading began by campaigning at a farmers market in Woodbury on Thursday, then meeting voters in Barrington and Somerdale later in the evening during the towns’ respective fireworks festivals. Finally, Glading met with U.S. Senate candidate Congressman Dick Zimmer and campaigned with him in Haddonfield prior to their own fireworks show.

On Friday, Glading marched in the Haddonfield Independence Day Parade in the morning, and marched again in the Washington Township Independence Day Parade later that evening.

Altogether, Glading campaigned before more than 6,500 voters and shook more than 2,000 hands at his various campaign events.

Media Advisory:
Dale Glading for Congress
Public Schedule, 7/3 – 7/4

Congressional candidate to campaign throughout
1st District at Independence Day festivities

BARRINGTON – Dale Glading, candidate for U.S. Congress in New Jersey’s 1st District, will be available to the media throughout the two-day campaign tour of the district’s Independence Day festivities.

Thursday, July 3

2:00 PM - Woodbury Farmers Market with Gloucester County Freeholder candidate Larry Wallace (Cooper St. & Railroad Ave.)
6:00 PM - Barrington Fireworks Festivities (1 School Ln., Barrington)
7:00 PM - Somerdale Fireworks Festivities (Sterling High School)
7:30 PM - Haddonfield Fireworks with Congressman Dick Zimmer (Haddonfield Memorial High School)

Friday, July 4

8:30 AM - Haddonfield Independence Day Parade
Mid-afternoon - Magnolia Fair (Albertson Park)
5:30 PM – Washington Twp. Independence Day Parade with Gloucester County Freeholder candidates Larry Wallace and Phyllis Scapellato (Washington Twp. High School)

Reporters and photographers are invited to accompany the candidate at any of the above events. To coordinate an availability, please contact the campaign staff at the number below.

Camille Andrews a No-Show at Town Hall Debate

Congressional candidates invited
to town hall debate in Blackwood;
Glading appears, Andrews a no-show

BARRINGTON – Dale Glading, candidate for U.S. Congress in New Jersey’s 1st District, was the sole participant in a town hall debate held last night at the First Baptist Church in Blackwood. His opponent, Camille Andrews, failed to appear at the debate and refused to acknowledge her invitation by a respected member of the South Jersey community.

“GOP candidate debates solo,” The Courier-Post, Richard Pearsall, July 1, 2008
http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080701/NEWS01/807010362/1006

"An invitation was sent to both candidates, but Ms. Andrews did not respond," David L. McMurray, the pastor at First Baptist said, referring to Camille Andrews, the wife of the congressman and the nominal Democratic candidate for his seat. "You will have to make your own conclusions about that."

Camille Andrews could not be reached for comment Monday.
…
Putting the congressman's "batting average" at getting bills passed at ".002" Glading characterized the Democrat from Haddon Heights as ineffective and out of touch and contended that Andrews' wife -- "or whoever the Democrats decide to run in her place" -- will only provide more of the same.
…
Both Rob and Camille Andrews said in April that they want a fair and open process to pick his successor.

What has transpired in the intervening three months has not been open.

“I am disappointed, but not surprised,” said Glading. “It was one thing for Camille Andrews to refuse to respond to my challenge, but to refuse to even acknowledge an invitation from a respected member of the community is inexcusable. It smacks of the kind of arrogance that is unbefitting of someone seeking public office.”

“I thoroughly enjoyed the town hall meeting last night, and I am looking forward to many more,” Glading added. “It’s time we had a representative in Congress who listened to the people and shared their priorities. I’m going to be that representative when I’m elected this November.”

“The incumbent has mailed it in for the past 11 years,” Glading continued. “Rob Andrews has been tired of the 1st District since 1997, when he first decided to move on and run for higher office. Ever since then, he has put it on autopilot and failed to represent his constituents. It’s time we had someone who really cares about the people rather than his own political ambitions.”

“The people of this district simply can’t take any more of this abuse,” Glading concluded. “The Andrews-Norcross machine believes your taxes are too low, your government is too small, and you don’t know how to run your own life. Well, they’re wrong, and the people of this district won’t stand for it any longer.”

First District Republican congressional nominee Dale Glading is not angry that he doesn’t know who his opponent will be in the fall. But he’s upset at what he sees as a slight to the district’s voters by the powerful local Democratic Party.
Glading, the founder and head of a non-denominational prison ministry, is officially running against attorney Camille Andrews, who took over the candidacy from her husband, Rep. Rob Andrews, when he decided to run a primary challenge against U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg. But Camille Andrews has acknowledged that she’ll step down if asked by party leadership, although there’s a possibility that she’ll stay in the race.

“The voters in the first congressional district are being shortchanged,” said Glading. “Mrs. Andrews, who is the placeholder, I don’t believe to be a serious candidate, because she’s not acknowledging - let alone accepting - our debate invitations.”

Media Advisory:
1st District Town Hall Meeting

Congressional candidates in 1st District
invited to town hall meeting in Blackwood

BARRINGTON – Congressional candidates Dale Glading and Camille Andrews, running to represent the 1st District of New Jersey, have been invited to attend a town hall meeting tonight at the First Baptist Church in Blackwood, NJ.

The venue is located at 899 Little Gloucester Rd. in Blackwood, and the event begins officially at 7:00 PM. It will continue until 8:30 PM, and refreshments will be served afterwards. Admission and refreshments are free.

Glading will be available to the media after the town hall debate, and campaign staff will be available throughout the course of the evening. Reporters and photographers are strongly encouraged to attend.

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