Scott Garrett

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has bumped Dennis Shulman up a rung on its priorities list.

The committee announced today that Shulman has moved up from being a “targeted race” to an “emerging race,” which means that Shulman is a contender to participate in the organization’s “Red to Blue” fundraising program.

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.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) will be in New Jersey today to stump for Democrat Dennis Shulman, who is challenging three-term Congressman Scott Garrett in the fifth district. The event is being held at the IBEW Local 164 headquarters in Paramus.

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.

Politico reports that New Jersey’s own Rep. E. Scott Garrett has joined another congressman in formulating an “action plan” for Republicans in this year’s general election.

Fearing an electoral rout, Garrett and Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas), both members of the Republican Study Conference (RSC), started circulating a petition yesterday to get the Republicans to hold a special meeting to vote on their plan for House Republicans’ reelection efforts.

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.

Democrat: If Frank Lautenberg wins re-election, he will become the first five-term United States Senator in New Jersey history. But to become the Democratic nominee in a state that hasn’t elected a Republican to the United States Senate since 1972, Lautenberg must first win a bitter primary contest against Rob Andrews, a ten-term Congressman from South Jersey who his 34 years his junior. The race is very much about Lautenberg’s age (84) – the controversy about the debates is a metaphor for the “Lautenberg is too old” campaign – and about Andrews’ record on Iraq (perhaps a little hawkish for some New Jersey Democrats). Lautenberg has more money and organizational support, although Andrews is competitive in the fundraising area and has added a few key endorsements (though not organization lines) in Central and North Jersey, and some important labor backing. Lautenberg has never been passive when it comes to political campaigns, and his TV commercials are hard-hitting. He needs to get through the next couple of weeks without a mistake that might highlight his age – clearly the reason he’d rather suffer news reports that he won’t debate than one about a stumble. Leans Lautenberg

Republican: The good news is that the GOP field has settled down -- it’s been almost a month since a new Republican candidate entered the race for the United States Senate; the bad news is that the three contenders – former Rep. Dick Zimmer, State Sen. Joseph Pennacchio, and Ramapo College professor Murray Sabrin – are having trouble raising money and diverting attention from the hot Democratic primary. With just a few weeks to go, Republican voters still don’t know who much about the candidates. The GOP primary is a contest between Zimmer and Pennacchio – and not Sabrin, the leader of Ron Paul’s New Jersey campaign; both have several important organization lines. Zimmer, who had been a prodigious fundraiser when he served in Congress in the 1990’s, needs to raise money quickly to secure the chance to run in the general election. Pennacchio needs to win a huge margin in his home county, Morris, which produces more votes in a Republican primary than any other county in the state. Toss-Up.

Bergen County Executive Dennis McNerney endorsed fifth district Democratic congressional candidate Dennis Shulman today.

Shulman, a blind rabbi and psychologist, is running against primary opponent Camille Abate to take on conservative Republican incumbent E. Scott Garrett.   

“Dennis Shulman, unlike Scott Garrett, understands the challenges facing the hardworking men and women of Northern New Jersey,” said McNerney.

United States Rep. Frank Pallone endorsed Dennis Shulman in the fifth district Democratic congressional primary.

Shulman, a rabbi and psychologist who’s been blind since childhood, faces Camille Abate for the nomination to take on Republican incumbent E. Scott Garrett.

"I find so much to admire in Dennis's story and message," said Pallone in a press release. "Residents of Northern New Jersey deserve much better representation than what they are getting from Scott Garrett. Dennis' passionate willingness to fight for hardworking families, to end the war in Iraq and to address critical environmental issues is exactly what we need to defeat Congressman Garrett this fall."

Amanda Gasperino, a New Jersey political operative who has worked for Bret Schundler and Rudy Giuliani, will manage Scott Garrett's campaign for re-election to a fourth term in the 5th district.