STATEWIDE — Rep. Steve Rothman announced this week that he will run for re-election in the same 9th Congressional District that he has represented as a member of Congress since 1997.
Rothman will be running in the June primary against Rep. Bill Pascrell in what is expected to be a heated battle between two veteran Democrats.
Rothman’s move comes after a state redistricting committee adopted a GOP map that gave Rothman a choice of running against a very powerful Republican in the 5th District in November, or taking on Pascrell in June. The modified 9th District reduces the district in Hudson County to Secaucus and Kearny.
Rothman is endorsed by Hudson County Democratic Chairman Mark Smith as well as some prominent Democrats in Bergen County.
“Steve has the overwhelming support of nearly every Democratic Mayor and Municipal Leader in the 29 Bergen and Hudson County towns in the 9th Congressional District,” said Bergen County Democratic Chairman Lou Stellato. “Steve is an outstanding congressman who has delivered nearly $2 billion in federal funding for New Jersey. We cannot afford to lose him.”
“I have represented the 9th Congressional District for the past 15 years and have lived here nearly my entire life. I look forward to continuing to represent this district,” said Rothman. “We must continue fighting for the Democratic values that we all share – expanding opportunity for every American; getting our economy back on track; protecting middle class taxpayers, seniors and families; and keeping our beloved nation safe. We have more work to do together and I look forward to continuing to work for the people of Bergen, Hudson, and Passaic Counties and earning each of their votes on Election Day.”
Congressman Rothman currently represents nearly 55 percent of the individuals, and 61 percent of the registered Democrats, in the newly configured 9th District. A former Bergen County Surrogate Court Judge and two-term Englewood Mayor, Steve was first elected to Congress in 1996 and serves on the powerful House Appropriations Committee. According to a release, with that key committee assignment, Rep. Rothman has brought back nearly two billion dollars in federal funding to New Jersey.