Republicans endorsed Josh Gottheimer. Watch video
PARAMUS -- Josh Gottheimer on Monday unveiled a slate of more than a dozen Republican supporters in his campaign to unseat incumbent Rep. Scott Garrett (R-5th Dist.).
They included Amy Eskilson, president and CEO of Inrad Optics.
Gottheimer, a former speech writer for President Bill Clinton, launched his campaign at the company's headquarters in Northvale in February. Eskilson said Gottheimer, who worked for Microsoft and Ford, had a better understanding of business than Garrett.
"It absolutely makes no sense to me to be represented in Congress by an individual who is so narrow minded and blind to our social and economic infrastructure," she said.
Allen Rapaport, a Norwood councilman, suffered defeat in the Republican primary in June after backing Gottheimer. Rapaport criticized Garrett for voting against a spending bill that included funding for the Zadroga Act, a fund that provides treatment to first responders sickened or hurt while responding to the Sept. 11 attacks.
Rapaport said Gottheimer would help return more of the federal taxes residents of the 5th Congressional District pay. He said Gottheimer was not a "traditional Democrat" and would look to cut taxes.
"We just want to get our fair share, similar to what the state legislature and governor are talking about now to make school taxes fair," Rapaport said.
"He's not your traditional Democrat," Rapaport said of Gottheimer. "He's looking to cut taxes."
Gottheimer compared himself to Marge Roukema, the Republican congresswoman whom Garret replaced when she retired. Roukema was a leader of the Republican Part's moderate wing.
"I like to think of myself as a Marge Roukema Democrat," Gottheimer said.
Gottheimer criticized Garrett for standing with the Tea Party and for failing to return federal funding to the district. He said more almost a third of his donors from within the 5th district were independents and Republicans and he invited other non-Democrats to support him.
"We have a big tent here on my campaign," he said.
Sarah Neibart, campaign manager for Garrett, called the event a "publicity stunt" and noted that of the 30 people Gottheimer includes on a list of "Republicans for Josh Gottheimer" website, at least one is a registered Democrat, two are not registered voters and two are unaffiliated.
"Like his mentor Hillary Clinton, Mr. Gottheimer is a Democrat who tries to say all the right things in order to hoodwink voters into supporting him - but will pursue a radical left agenda in office, aimed at repaying the special interests that funded his campaign," she said.
However, Candace Kristin Rosenberg, one of the unaffiliated voters, spoke in support of Gottheimer Monday, calling him a longtime friend and decried Garrett's views on women's health issues. She said she was a Republican.
Jeff Raines, a spokesman for Gottheimer, said Garrett was in "denial" about losing support from his party.
