NJ 11th Congressional Race: Who’s Running & What Do They Believe?
NEW JERSEY — A much-anticipated primary is coming up in New Jersey’s 11th district, following long-time Republican Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen’s reitrement announcement. It will be the first time since 1992 that Frelinghuysen won’t be on the ballot.
Five Republicans and five Democrats are vying for the two-year term to represent the district, which covers most of Morris County and sections of Essex, Passaic, and Sussex counties. The group of candidates includes several veterans, businesspeople, Ph.D’s, and lawyers. (Read more about the candidates below.)
The primary to determine each party’s general election candidate will be held on June 5, 2018. The general election is scheduled for November 6, 2018, and whoever is elected will begin their term on January 2019. To vote in the primary, voters must be registered with a party. Those who are currently unaffiliated with a party have up until the primary election to declare a party.
New Jersey’s 11th District tends to be solidly Republican, voting for the Republican candidate for president in the past five elections. Although the Congressional seat has been held by a Republican since 1985, the Cook Political Report says it’s a toss-up that leans only slightly Republican at this point.
Frelinghuysen, who was named the Chair of the House Committee on Appropriations in 2017, announced his surprise retirement from Congress in January 2018. He did not give specific reasons for his retirement, but thanked his family, friends, and constituents in a brief statement.
He had been facing a steeper-than-usual climb to reelection among vocal criticism that his voting record had become less moderate than it typically had been. In May 2017, the Cook Political Report downgraded the district from “probably Republican” to “leaning Republican.” In previous years, Frelinghuyen had coasted to re-election, so much so that in 2000 Michael Moore led a campaign to run a ficus plant as a write-in challenger (yes, really).
Here is a brief summary of some of each candidate’s campaign talking points, and links to their websites to learn more about them.
Republicans
Patrick Allocco
Patrick S. Allocco, a concert promoter from Denville, decided to jump into politics after being wrongfully imprisoned in Angola in 2012. One of the focuses of his campaign is using technology to give a greater voice for voters, including through apps that would allow voters to vote on all bills before congress. You can visit his website here.
Peter De Neufville
Peter De Neufville, a life-long Mendham resident, served as a reserve officer in the Navy for a decade, and was on active duty in 2006-2007 during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He holds degrees in international relations and history, as well as a Ph.D. from University of London, King’s College. He believes in greater control over federal spending, tightening immigration, and in “market-based policies that promote environmental protection.” You can visit his website here.
Antony E. Ghee
Antony Ghee is currently a Major in the U.S. Army reserves, and serves as Headquarters Commander of the U.S. Army Reserve Legal Command in Gaithersburg, Maryland. He was the first in his family to graduate from college and holds a law degree from Georgetown University. Some of the issues he focuses on includes term limits for elected officials, school choice for parents, and cutting taxes. You can visit his website here.
Martin Hewitt
Martin Hewitt is a lawyer who serves as a Liaison to the Commission on Law and Aging of the American Bar Association. Some of his campaign points are making government more efficient regardless of size, making sure small businesses can grow, that “healthcare is not a privilege for the wealthy, but a right for all people” and socially moderate stances, such as marriage equality. You can visit his website here.
Jay Webber
Jay Webber, a Harvard Law graduate, is currently the state Assemblyman for New Jersey’s 26th district. He sponsored the Fiscal Year 2011 budget that closed an $11 billion budget gap. He has advocated for creating transparency in government funding, allowing NJ residents to buy health insurance from out of state providers, and parent-friendly workplace policies. You can visit his website here.
Democrats
Mitchell H. Cobert
Cobert is a former assistant attorney general in New York and currently a practicing attorney in New Jersey. Cobert supports banning ownership and sale of automatic, semi-automatic, or assault weapons, combatting drug abuse and creating a path to citizenship for undocumented children. You can visit his website here.
Tamara Harris
Tamara Harris, an international businesswoman from Essex County, has served on the advisory board of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Essex, Hudson, and Union County in NJ. She supports making college more affordable, increasing accessibility to healthcare, and reforming immigration, including a path to citizenship. You can visit her website here.
Alison Heslin
Alison Heslin, from Morristown, holds a doctorate in political and economic sociology, and has studied the way natural environments affects communities. She believes in investing in renewable energy, maintaining and improving infrastructure, and a path to citizenship for “dreamers.” You can visit her website here.
Mikie Sherrill
Mikie Sherrill, from Montclair, is a Naval Academy graduate, Navy Pilot, and former federal prosecutor. She is running on a platform of creating more middle class jobs, cutting federal waste, making college more affordable for all, and gun control, including banning domestic abusers with temporary restraining orders from buying guns. You can visit her website here.
Mark Washburne
Mark Washburne, a history professor and published author from Medham, Washburne has made not accepting any monetary donations during the primary campaign a selling point of his candidacy. He has supported impeachment proceedings against President Trump, Medicare for all, universal background checks for gun purchases. You can visit his website here.
