NJ-09

This election season, there are hotly contested races in the 3rd and 7th Congressional Districts. Then, one tier down, there are a couple of races in which challengers have some inkling of hope against a well-entrenched incumbent and may count on a bit of national party support.

And then there are the challengers to whom national parties don’t even bother paying lip service, like Tom Wyka in the 11th District, Vince Micco in the 9th District and Robert McLeod in the 6th District, among others.

There is little doubt that Congressman Steve Rothman has become a major guy in Barack Obama’s campaign.  So if Obama were to win the presidency, it’s not crazy to view Rothman as a possible candidate for appointment to a major executive branch post  -- eight of the last nine presidents (Lyndon Johnson was the exception) named sitting Members of Congress to cabinet posts. 

Democratic Rep. Steve Rothman is soliciting GOP congressional candidate Christopher Myers for a contribution to his re-election campaign. Noting that Myers said he wrote a $500 personal check to Sen. Frank Lautenberg's re-election campaign because they share similar views on Israel. Rothman says he also has a strong record supporting Israel.

Englewood Mayor Michael Wildes today said he would not Mayor Michael Wildeschallenge U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman as long as Rothman has the organization line in Bergen County.

“I would need the party support to go forward,” said Wildes, an ally of Bergen County Democratic Organization (BCDO) Chairman Joseph Ferriero, who yesterday issued a statement of support for U.S. Frank Lautenberg.

Earlier in the week, Rothman had threatened Ferriero with legal action if the chairman removed Lautenberg from Bergen’s line A on the ballot to replace him with U.S. Rep Rob Andrews, who this week jumped in the Democratic primary against Lautenberg.

Congressman Steve Rothman beat up on Bergen County Democratic Chairman Joseph Ferriero today, effectively stopping the powerful party leader from endorsing Rob Andrews for U.S. Senate today. But if Ferriero suddenly develops some testicular fortitude and backs Andrews before the April 7 filing deadline, there could be some payback for Rothman too.