BREAKING: Inside Elections moves NJ-11 to ‘toss up’

Citing Representative Rodney’s Frelinghuysen’s retirement and veteran and former federal prosecutor Mikie Sherrill’s strong candidacy, Inside Elections moved the race for New Jersey’s 11^th Congressional District from “Likely Republican” to “Toss up.”

“Representative Frelinghuysen’s retirement opens up a very competitive seat that is moving quickly towards Democrats,” said DCCC Spokesman Evan Lukaske. “With veteran and former federal prosecutor Mikie Sherrill’s strong candidacy, and the pathetic abysmal ratings of Speaker Ryan’s Republican Congress, Democrats are confident that this seat will turn blue next November.”

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Ratings Change: New Jersey Open Set Shifts to Toss-up | Inside Elections

By Nathan Gonzales

January 29, 2018

https://www.insideelections.com/news/article/ratings-change-new-jersey-open-seat-shifts-to-toss-up

GOP Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen’s retirement makes his 11th District of New Jersey even more vulnerable for Republicans

[…] Even if the Frelinghuysen ran for a 13th term, it was going to be a tough race for the GOP. Trump carried the district by just 1 point, and the Democratic frontrunner had nearly half a million dollars cash on hand last fall.

Mikie Sherrill, a retired Navy helicopter pilot and former federal prosecutor, had $496,000 cash on hand on Sept. 30, and has support from EMILY’s List. Frelinghuysen, who is chairman of the Appropriations Committee, had over $1 million in his campaign account at the end of the year.

Republicans have a little more than two months to find a candidate who can compete with Sherrill’s early fundraising. It’s possible that Republicans could benefit from a fresh face who doesn’t have the baggage of a long-time Member of Congress. But a national wave could overwhelm an upstart GOP contender.

We’re changing our rating of the race from Likely Republican to Toss-Up as the new, open seat race develops.

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