We're running this for the second time in three months
By Wally EdgeIf Democrats are successful in winning control of the U.S. House of Representatives in November, it could prompt some veteran -- and aging -- Republican Congressmen to retire in 2008. It isn't always easy for a Congressman to adjust to live in the minority after they have grown accustomed to the benefits of majority life.
In New Jersey, one possible retirement would be James Saxton, who is favored to win re-election to a twelfth term this year. Saxton is now the Chairman of the Joint Economic Committee and the Chairman of the Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee. After the 2002 election, Saxton was in line to become Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, but the leadership deemed him not conservative enough and he was passed over for the job. Saxton will be 65-years-old in 2008 -- still young enough to trade 24 years of Washington connections for a lucrative government relations position.
If Saxton were to retire -- and there have been absolutely no indications that he will -- look for a spirited contest for an open seat in the traditionally Republican third district. The most likely Republican candidate would be State Senator Diane Allen, but the Democrats could have a primary between State Senator John Adler and state Community Affairs Commissioner Susan Bass Levin, who was the Mayor of Cherry Hill when she challenged Saxton in 2000.
if Ocean County GOP Chairman George Gilmore wants someone from Ocean County to fill his seat, one possible candidate is former Mets/Yankees pitcher Al Leiter. The 40-year-old Toms River native, a self-described C-Span addict, has dabbled in GOP politics in recent years, campaigning for Douglas Forrester for the U.S. Senate in 2002, George W. Bush in 2004, and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg in 2005. If Ocean County Republicans want a candidate that can take the nomination from Allen, the more conservative Leiter could be an interesting contender.
Saxton won the seat in 1984, following the death of seven-term incumbent Edwin Forsythe, by narrowly winning a three-way primary. Ocean County backed County Clerk Dean Haines, who finished second, ahead of Assemblyman John Rocco of Camden County.
Contributors
Wally Edge
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Bob Torricelli
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Michael Patrick Carroll
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Debbie Holtz
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Dr. Joseph Marbach
I am pleased to report the results from the first national poll conducted by Environmental Studies Program in the College of Arts and Sciences at ... >
Rob Tornoe
To view a larger version of this cartoon, click here. >
Michael P. Riccards
The media, which loves headlines and knows little history, is trying to sell President Elect Obama as another Franklin Delano Roosevelt. But that ... >
Joey Novick
When I was eleven, way back in 1965, my family was invited for Thanksgiving to my cousins’ cousins, a Jewish-Italian family who lived in the ... >
Juan Melli
Last week's fight between Henry Waxman and John Dingell for chairmanship of the powerful House Energy and Commerce committee also featured a less ... >
Carla Katz
A couple of weeks ago, my mother, Angelina Katz, did her second debate on behalf of Barack Obama. A debate? My mother? If you knew her, you’d be ... >
Patricia Quattrocchi
A rained out MusicFest this past September has provided Union County with $275,000 in insurance monies. The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders ... >
Murray Sabrin
As New Jerseyans get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving the nation's economic outlook is indeed bleak, and there doesn't seem much to be ... >
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I guess when you have no reporter in NJ and kornacki looking for
I guess when you have no reporter in NJ and kornacki looking for the first snowfall in New Hampshire, you have to recyle items like this.
Why run this piece again? It wasn't interesting the first time.
Why run this piece again? It wasn't interesting the first time.
Saxton has some of the strongest numbers in the state and as of the latest FEC reports has a whopping $1.7 million cash on hand.
If R's hold on the the House and Weldon goes down in PA, Saxton could be the next chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. If the R's lose, he will absolutely be the ranking member on the committee.
Saxton retiring is as likely as McGreevey getting married...to a woman...again...amd agaim...and agian!
Thanks Walt. You took the words right out of my mouth. The fun
Thanks Walt. You took the words right out of my mouth. The funny part of the article is that Wally thinks Jim would want to stay in DC to be a lobbyist. He hates DC. He would rather be in NJ with his grandkids and on his boat.
Woops! I was wrong about Weldon, Saxton outranks him. The curr
Woops!
I was wrong about Weldon, Saxton outranks him.
The current chairman of the Armed Services Committee is Duncan Hunter, who will have to retire as chairman at the conclusion of the next term.
That means that Saxton will become either the chairman of the Armed Services Committee or its ranking member beginning in 2008.
I can't imagine any scenario in the world that would cause Jim Saxton to walk away from either of thos posts.
I'm aghast that voters in N.J.'s third district would even consi
I'm aghast that voters in N.J.'s third district would even consider pro-war, anti-stem cell incumbent Jim Saxton over war veteran and sensible foreign policy advocating Rich Sexton. If there is justice in this world, Jim Saxton will be retiring from the U.S. House after losing to Sexton this fall.
Martin - good try. Saxton will win easily. Just like he has ev
Martin - good try. Saxton will win easily. Just like he has every two years. Hell, Bill, Hillary, Al, and Dick Gephardt couldn't get him out in 2000 with Susan Bass, what makes you think Rich's self funded campaign will do it? Poor Rich doesn't have a chance when labor, the enviros, the pro-tax cut groups, and vets all support Jim.
And Walt, I hate to disagree with you, but Curt has more seniority on the committee than Jim by one term. So, Curt is more senior on the committee, but Jim outranks him in the whole House. And Duncan Hunter outranks them both on the committee. Heaven forbid the D's take over the House and the R's are in the minority, Duncan would become ranking member, not Jim or Curt. There are term limits on Chairmen, but not on ranking members.
That's why I said 2008. DH will have to step down as chair by t
That's why I said 2008. DH will have to step down as chair by then.
I don't know what planet Martin One is on (OK maybe it's really "Martian One"). Saxton has the endorsement ofd the entire environmantal community, all of the senior groups, the labor unions, the NFIB, the Chamber of Commerce, even the teachers.
There are few Republican incumbents who can boast such a broad appeal.
WH
Great humor, Wally; I'm really impressed with your wit. And, th
Great humor, Wally; I'm really impressed with your wit. And, theoc, you may be right that Saxton will win, but he is an out of touch, pro-Bush incumbent who has taken thousands in campaign contributions from questionable entities, voted against stem cell funding on a federal level, and unyielding supports Bush's quagmire of a war in Iraq. Saxton is a rank and file Republican who barely questions the Bush agenda, and it is my opinion that Rich Sexton, underfunded or not, presents a much better platform on homeland security, the envirnonment, the Iraq War, and other issues than Jim Saxton.
Of course, the whole Saxton-Weldon seniority question will becom
Of course, the whole Saxton-Weldon seniority question will become irrelevant after the corrupt Pa. congressman loses his seat in November.
Again, you make me laugh. How can someone who is "out-of-touch"
Again, you make me laugh. How can someone who is "out-of-touch" garner ALL of the endorsements tah Walt mentioned? And questionable entities? So the folks at Lockheed in Moorestown who gave to his campaign are questionable? Or the fishermen who agree with him are questionable? Or I AM QUESTIONABLE? That is a pretty ridiculous statement to make. If you are referring to Abramoff, the funds were returned and when they were accepted, there was NO indication that Abramoff did anything illegal - and the contributions themselves were NOT illegal. I can recited many members, past and present, who took contributions from people who later got into legal troubles. Does Torricelli ring a bell? Anyway, thanks for the laugh. Now I know why Haddonfield got moved into Andrews' district LOL!!!!
Theoc, I know you saw a campaign commercial for Saxton and are m
Theoc, I know you saw a campaign commercial for Saxton and are merely repeating party points, but Jim Saxton overstates his "endorsements," supported an illegimate and resource-depleting war in Iraq, and hasn't deemed the voters of the 3rd district worthy enough for a debate with Sexton.
He has accepted funds from other Abramoff entities that he hasn't returned, according to the research I've done.
I also wanted to thank you for the classy SHOUTS and ad hominem attacks, as well as the acronyms (LOL). That's great stuff and contributes to the political discourse on this site and others.
Over-stated his endorsements? As far as I can tell, Saxton has
Over-stated his endorsements?
As far as I can tell, Saxton has ALL of the environmental endorsements, all of the labor endorsements, the teachers' endorsement, the police endorsements and every one of the business endorsements.
In fairness, Sexton does have ONE labor endorsement, but when a Republican gets the overwhelming majority of the labor endorsements, he's probably doing something right.
Where did the money go? Sexton's campaign manager told the Burl
Where did the money go?
Sexton's campaign manager told the Burlington County Times that he had a good fund-raining quarter last quarter and that the campaign would show $110,000 cash on hand at the end of the 9/30 reporting period.
Somebody must have misplaced the money, or simply told a "whopper."
I looked at the FEC web site and Rich Sexton has $37,000 cash-on-hand, not $110,000 as his campaign manager indicated.
Against the $37,000 he reported, he has an outstanding loan from himself in the amount of $15,000 and an unpaid credit card bill of more than $5,000.
So, where did the money go?
Time to investigate?
Bettr call Chris Christie!
Martin - I don't think LOL - laughing out loud - belittles the c
Martin - I don't think LOL - laughing out loud - belittles the conversation here. Just trying to say that you make me laugh. Again, Walt beats me to the punch. All of the major endorsements (I do not include MoveOn.org or Planned Parenthood a major endorsement) have gone Saxton's way. And I would love to know which campaign contributions you are talking about. Since I was involved in some of those I better get my lawyer prepared :) (Is the smiley face bringing down the discourse of this debate? - forgive me). And while one labor group has endorsed Sexton, look at Jim's FEC report and see which labor groups have maxed out to him or have been heavy contributors - laborers, plumbers, carpenters. There may be a few more. I really don't think the muncipal and county employees union has ever endorsed Saxton nor would he go after it. They make Hillary look conservative. No one is on board with Sexton - the reason why his biggest contributors are himself and his famiy. We are wasting post space for real races.