Sources: Frelinghuysen not Running for Reelection in CD11
U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-11) is not running again for Congress, two sources informed InsiderNJ.com this morning.
An institution in Republican Party politics who hails from a political family that goes back to the American Revolution, Frelinghuysen began his service in Congress in 1995. He has served as chairman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee since 2017.
Questions began circulating late last year about whether or not he would pursue reelection.
One source last month noted Frelinghuysen’s usually more assertive calls to fundraising sources had abated.
Earlier this month, a second source informed InsiderNJ that Frelinghuysen allies were in the process of conducting a poll, and based on those results would come to a final decision about his intentions.
Making matters thornier this year were a House investigation into the Congressman’s decision to write a letter to the bank president muscling a woman then employed there who had participated in anti-Frelinghuysen protests.
Also, Democratic challenger Mikie Sherrill has captured the attention of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), which added the 11th District to its 2018 Red to Blue list.
If Frelinghuysen has indeed decided not to pursue reelection, he would be the second incumbent Republican Congressman from New Jersey to opt out of running. U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-2) last year announced that 2018 would be his last year of federal service.
Hillary Clinton lost the district by only 1-point in 2016 after Mitt Romney carried the district by 5 points in 2012. The Cook Political Report has listed NJ-11 as a “toss-up.”
According to the DCCC, polling shows Democrats performing well in Frelinghuysen country. A November PPP poll found that a generic Democrat led Frelinghuysen 46% to 44%, and a December PPP poll showed the margin had increased further following passage of the GOP Tax Plan, with a generic Democrat earning 49% of the vote compared to 40% for Frelinghuysen. In both polls, Frelinghuysen sported abysmal job approval ratings.
This district is over 62% suburban, highly educated, and affluent.
Bye, Felicia
Just another example of a politician being bullied for trying to do what he/she thinks is best. Last year Garrett was personally vilified for what is his religious belief. Unfortunately, here in NJ, if you don’t do and say exactly what Tom Moran, the Star Ledger and the Progressive Left want, they launch a PR campaign of destruction against you. I don’t blame him for retiring, it’s not worth the aggravation. Freedom of thought, speech and religion, no longer exists in NJ.