By Matthew Gilson | The Save Jersey Blog
Josh Gottheimer is only the latest in a series of flawed and overhyped candidates to take on Congressman Scott Garrett seems to take with his own party, Save Jerseyans.
Gottheimer, described by many observers as Roy Cho with more money and less personality who has, in an era where ISIS is causing havoc and the debt is skyrocketing, mostly up until this point decided to attack mostly Garrett on his position on gay marriage.
Brilliant strategy; that is definitely what’s keeping people up at night at the moment!
However, Gottheimer is presently shifting his focus to a degree (maybe because someone told him gay marriage alone isn’t going to flip one of New Jersey’s redder districts). In a “Fact Check” last week, which may be the most hilariously wrong title ever given to a video, Gottheimer attacked Garrett for the business climate of New Jersey. He cites articles which claim New Jersey is last for business, and blasts Garrett for Hertz and Mercedes recently choosing to leave NJ-5 for greener pastures in tax friendly states.
The irony? As we all know, Gottheimer is actually attacking the Democrats. In addition to not having any clue what policy issues to discuss, he apparently is unaware of the role of a member of Congress. This would seem to be a strong prerequisite of being electing and serving in my humble opinion…
Basic tenants of federalism aside, how is Republican Scott Garrett responsible for New Jersey not being friendly for business or those companies leaving? When the State Legislature has been in Democratic hands for more than a decade?
Years of Democratic control of the legislature has led to crippling regulations and taxes which are causing businesses to flee the state faster than Gottheimer continues to see his chances at an upset dwindle.
Gottheimer, in his ad, is drawing the focus away from a positive message and back to the failures of his New Jersey Democrat allies which for that we thank him.
In fact, if I’m the 2017 GOP nominee, maybe I borrow this ad when running against Senate President Steve Sweeney or one of the other Democrat hopefuls.
The only thing more certain than death and taxes (and death taxes) in New Jersey? Every two years, the Democrats will over-hype another challenger to Scott Garrett who will fall flat. Here’s to making 2016 just the latest example.
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