HASKELL, N.J. – Fresh from his victory in the 39th Legislative District this November, Robert Auth (R-39) said he’s focusing on the forthcoming 2020-2021 legislative session in Trenton.
He isn’t, however, ruling out an entry into the 5th Congressional District Republican primary. In fact, someone privately registered http://bobauthforcongress.com/ on November 11th.
–
“It’s a tremendous honor people are considering me as a candidate for Congress,” Auth told Save Jersey on Friday, politely declining to directly address his internal 2020 thought process. “But right now, I’m focused on serving the people of New Jersey in the state legislature and I’m gearing up for what I hope is a productive session at the beginning of the year.”
A resident of Old Tappan and reliable conservative vote in the legislature, Auth is Chief Executive Officer at Plaza Travel and Insurance Services Ltd. which he founded back in 1985. He was comfortably reelected this year despite early concerns of a competitive contest, running 4,060 votes ahead of his closest Democrat challenger.
New Jersey’s 5th District is represented by two-term Democrat Congressman Josh Gottheimer who defeated long-time Republican Representative Scott Garrett in 2016.
The swing district targeted by the NRCC this cycle is considered “likely” Democrat largely due in large part to woke changes in the district’s suburban Bergen reaches as well as Gottheimer’s formidable war chest. Money aside, NJ-05 spans multiple counties and much of Northern New Jersey, and Trump carried the district in 2016. Gottheimer is also reportedly hedging on impeachment after endorsing the inquiry, favoring “censure” instead, a move which could alienate voters on both sides of the issue.
Currently, Montvale Mayor Mike Ghassali and financial industry veteran Frank Pallotta are jockeying alongside 2018 nominee John McCann for the GOP nomination.
–
