BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- At 62, Rodney Frelinghuysen is already three years older than his father, Peter Hood Ballantine Frelinghuysen, Jr., was when he retired from Congress in 1975.

Frelinghuysen said his father left office in 1975 – when he was in his late 50s -- to spend more time with his family.

“I think it was in large part that he had five children, and I think he wanted time with family,” he said. “I grew up for 22 years of my life with my father as a member of congress, and I’m not singling out myself, but I don’t remember my father ever coming to a game or any sporting event.”

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.

Just a suggestion for Henry Hager, the in-out-in Vietnam veteran who is seeking the Democratic nomination for Congress in New Jersey’s eleventh district:  if you’re using your own voice on robo calls seeking votes, and you’re going to attack the incumbent, at least learn how to pronounce his name.  It seems that Hager, who said in April that he was dropping out of the race, but after never filing his withdrawal paperwork decided this week to get back in, can’t seem to say Rodney Frelinghuysen.