Josh Gottheimer doesn’t waste much time.

A few nights ago, Bergen County Republicans endorsed Mary Jo Guinchard as the GOP challenger to Gottheimer in CD-5, which spans parts of Bergen, Passaic and Sussex counties in North Jersey.

The next day, Gottheimer already had a name for his Republican opponent – “MAGA Mary.”

In a statement, he called her “a vocal right-wing extremist who associates with anti-government extremist groups and January 6th sympathizers. ‘MAGA Mary’ opposes a woman’s right to choose and to make her own personal medical decisions. Ironically, Guinchard, who attends ‘pro-life’ anti-choice rallies, opposes common sense gun safety laws that would actually save lives, stating that bipartisan ‘red flag’ gun safety laws go too far in their efforts to reduce domestic violence. These laws prevent individuals who exhibit behaviors that deem them a credible threat to others from purchasing or possessing firearms.”

Elections in the district are not blow-outs, but given the fact most of the district is in Democratic-heavy Bergen County, Gottheimer certainly has the advantage. For the record, he won reelection in 2022 by about 28,000 votes over Frank Pallotta.

But quite obviously, Gottheimer seems to be taking nothing for granted, as his rapid-fire commentary shows.

Guinchard is a native of Dallas, who served as mayor of Tuxedo Park, a small village in Orange County, N.Y. She now lives in Ridgewood.

Last year, she ran for county commissioner in Bergen County, losing by about 17,000 votes.

Guinchard made some campaign news a few weeks ago stemming from Gottheimer’s opposition to what the congressman calls phony medical centers. These are “crisis pregnancy centers” that Gottheimer says are designed to push a “pro life” or anti-abortion agenda.

Last fall, the congressman held a press event outside one such center – Lighthouse Pregnancy Center in Hackensack – and condemned the facility for trying to “brainwash” women.

Guinchard jumped into the fray with a statement that called Gottheimer “anti-women.” Her point is that pregnancy centers like Lighthouse serve at-risk women.

The statement continued:

“I was proud to stand with common sense Democrats and pro-woman progressives demanding Josh let women choose life. Instead, Josh is trying to put crisis pregnancy centers out of business to create a monopoly for abortion businesses that underwrite his campaign.”

Abortion has been a favorable issue for Democrats ever since the overturn of Roe v. Wade in June of 2022. So, you can expect Gottheimer to keep talking about his “pro-choice” position.

Guinchard also was a recent guest on Joe Piscopo’s radio show, where she raised an issue that seems to cut in favor of Republicans – the border.

“We’ve got to shut that border down,” she said.