Roger Bacon

Roger Bacon, a 61-year-old Phillipsburg businessman, campaigning for the Democratic nomination for Congress in 2008. Bacon has filed petitions to challenge Gov. Jon Corzine in the 2009 Democratic primary.

Candidates seeking to run in the Democratic and Republican primaries for Governor, State Assembly, and county and local office must file nominating petitions by 4PM today.  There are also special elections for State Senate in districts 6 and 23.  Independent candidates have until 4PM on June 2 to file for the general election.

Filing to run against Gov. Jon Corzine in the Democratic primary are Roger Bacon and Jeff Boss.  Bacon, a Phillipsburg resident who runs a customized ceramic mug business, won 7% in the Democratic congressional primary in the fifth district last year.  A former Republican, he was the Libertarian candidate for Congress against Marge Roukema fourteen years ago.  Boss ran for President and U.S. Senate in 2008 and said he witnessed the U.S. government planning the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.  Corzine and another announced Democratic primary candidate, former Glen Ridge Mayor Carl Bergmanson, had not filed their petitions as of Friday.

On the Republican side, former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan and David Brown, an inventor from South Brunswick, have filed petitions.  Former U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie, Assemblyman Rick Merkt (R-Mendham) and Franklin Mayor Brian Levine are also expected to file.  Newark businessman Dennis Knight had announced his candidacy late last year, but has not made any campaign appearances.

The Record has endorsed Dennis Shulman, a blind Rabbi and psychotherapist, to challenge three-term Rep. Scott Garrett in the 5th district. Shulman faces attorney Camille Abate and businessman Roger Bacon in the Democratic primary. The Record has not yet endorsed candidates in the U.S. Senate primaries.

In the fifth congressional district, incumbent Republican E. Scott Garrett leads his potential challengers in fundraising.

Garrett raised $94,037.97 between April 1st and May 14th, bringing his total raised this cycle to $783,088.21 and his war chest of available cash to $508,523.31.

Dennis Shulman, the blind Rabbi running for Congress in New Jersey’s 5th district, has a drawn a surprise challenger in the Democratic primary: Roger Bacon, who runs a customized ceramic mug business. Bacon, who says he’s a registered Republican, was the Libertarian candidate for Congress against Marge Roukema fourteen years ago.

Another Democrat wants to challenge Republican incumbent E. Scott Garrett in the fifth Congressional district. 

Sort of. 

Roger Bacon, who said that he's actually a registered Republican, has filed to run as a Democrat against Rabbi/psychologist Dennis Shulman and lawyer Camille Abate.  

Bacon, who is running under the slogan “Independent Democrat for Lower Energy Cost,” lives in Phillipsburg and runs a customized ceramic gift mug business called Luvmug.