Redistricting leaves Rothman in GOP-leaning district; new map a loss for Democrats

NJ.com ^ | December 24, 2011 | By Matt Friedman/Statehouse Bureau

[SMGFan]

TRENTON — U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman is the odd man out. A panel approved the reconfiguration of New Jersey’s congressional districts Friday — reducing the number from 13 to 12 — and Rothman, a Democrat representing the 9th District, was left staring at his potential demise. After a week of wrangling between six-member teams of Republicans and Democrats culminated with a tie-breaking vote, Rothman, a 15-year congressional veteran from Bergen County, was drawn into a district that favors a Republican incumbent. Rothman’s hometown of Fair Lawn ended up in the 5th District, represented by Scott Garrett, after Republicans persuaded John Farmer Jr., dean of the Rutgers-Newark law school who was chosen to cast the deciding vote, to side with their proposal. But it’s no "fair fight," as some billed a potential matchup between Rothman and Garrett. The district largely resembles Garrett’s previous one — made up primarily of Warren, Sussex and northern Bergen counties — and gives the Republican a partisan advantage. Much of Rothman’s district was merged with that of U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-8th Dist.) of Paterson. The question after the final vote at the Statehouse was whether Rothman would run against Garrett in a district weighted against him or move to challenge another Democrat in a primary. Friday, he wasn’t saying.

[SMGFan]

Good to see this liberal leave, I hope.

[SMGFan]

Old 13 versus new 12

http://media.nj.com/ledgerupdates_impact/photo/redistricting-mapjpg-dd889222d856e4e7.jpg

[Impy]

Good. A Christmas present for NJ Republicans.

What does the map due for rat Rush Holt in the 12th district?

[Venturer]

Hmmm: It’s usually the other way around.

I live in Maryland and it’s always the other way around.

My heart bleeds for Mr. Rothman, now he might have to find real work.

[ExCTCitizen]

Rothman might move too another district, which means that he doesn’t know any other work outside of government.

[SMGFan]

Will he challenge Pascrell in June?

I dislike how Jersey City & Newark will now be divided now for 30 years. But it looks like Bayonne as well, but why? Street maps will be out next week.

[capydick]

Let him run against Pascrell - he's as crooked as the day is long.

[hdbc]

Glad to see that this sc$@bag may be leaving office. During a attempt by the union to get into my business a few years back, Rothman showed up to support the thugs while they marched around with their rat mascot. Instead of supporting an employer in the community, this guy Ratman supported the union crime syndicate.

[SMGFan]

pdf map, best available so far

http://dng.northjersey.com/media_server/tr/2011/12/23map/districtmap.pdf

[SMGFan]

Bayonne & Jersey City look worse than past 20 years IMHO.

http://www.njelections.org/publications_doe.html

[ContraryMary]

I live in Garrett’s district. The new district will not be a shoo-in for him, as was the old one. That said, as the majority of the voters he picked up in eastern Bergen county will not vote for him regardless of his message I hope he doesn’t try to pander to them.

[PGalt]

Rothman, a Democrat representing the 9th District, was left staring at his potential demise.

ALWAYS good to hear BUMP!

[facedown]

The rats will just find a rat judge to tie this up in the courts.

[SMGFan]

Actually better map,
http://www.njelections.org/2012-congressional/2012-nj-congressional-map.pdf

[Moisey88]

Excellent news! Garrett is my rep in northern Bergen county. He is a true conservative, IMHO the only one of NJ GOP congressmen; most of the others a RINOs to the core (or corpse).
He is very popular and has always won easily but if there is a real fight with Rothman I’ll look forward to volunteering for his campaign. The addition of Fair Lawn to the district shouldn’t be a huge help to Rothman even though he lives there. Fair Lawn has a large proportion of Russian Jews; they were no fans of Dims to begin with, and much less so now after O’s sabotage of Israel.
Go Garrett!

[jmaroneps37]

Getting rid of Pascrell would have been better but this is great news. It reminds us of how unnecessary all of this is because of the system put in place by rino scumbag Whitman.

[Huck]

I’m not happy that they soiled our district with eastern NJ pukeville voters.

[Sooth2222]

EXCELLENT! My Republican township moves back into a Republican congressional district! For the first time in 20 years I’ll have representation in congress!

[gusty]

Good point. Two words for Rothman, Bob Turner.Rothman is more a Tenafly, east hill of Englewood type of guy. The one point left out by the media is the move of Hackensack and Teaneck to the 5th. This protects Pascrell. If they were left in the old district, both Rothman and Pascrell would be gone. Those towns with Paterson and Passaic would not be good for the old corrupt white hack. This is Rothman’s worst nightmare. I wonder if he is going to learn to deer and bear hunt now.

[gusty]

To add, looking at the map, expect Rothman to move back to Englewood in the near future, and run against Pascrell. In the fifth, his only support will come from Hackensack - Teaneck, huge Obama areas and the NVRHS at Demarest towns(the NV-Old Tappan towns are the complete opposite), plus a small advantage in Fair Lawn. Outside of those areas, he is toast. New towns like Maywood and Bogota will go GOP. Remember Steve Lonegan was the mayor of Bogota. Other areas with any minority populations will not help him in that they are mainly either not citizens or illegals.