Camille Abate

The Record has endorsed Dennis Shulman, a blind Rabbi and psychotherapist, to challenge three-term Rep. Scott Garrett in the 5th district. Shulman faces attorney Camille Abate and businessman Roger Bacon in the Democratic primary. The Record has not yet endorsed candidates in the U.S. Senate primaries.

In the fifth congressional district, incumbent Republican E. Scott Garrett leads his potential challengers in fundraising.

Garrett raised $94,037.97 between April 1st and May 14th, bringing his total raised this cycle to $783,088.21 and his war chest of available cash to $508,523.31.

Bergen County Executive Dennis McNerney endorsed fifth district Democratic congressional candidate Dennis Shulman today.

Shulman, a blind rabbi and psychologist, is running against primary opponent Camille Abate to take on conservative Republican incumbent E. Scott Garrett.   

“Dennis Shulman, unlike Scott Garrett, understands the challenges facing the hardworking men and women of Northern New Jersey,” said McNerney.

United States Rep. Frank Pallone endorsed Dennis Shulman in the fifth district Democratic congressional primary.

Shulman, a rabbi and psychologist who’s been blind since childhood, faces Camille Abate for the nomination to take on Republican incumbent E. Scott Garrett.

"I find so much to admire in Dennis's story and message," said Pallone in a press release. "Residents of Northern New Jersey deserve much better representation than what they are getting from Scott Garrett. Dennis' passionate willingness to fight for hardworking families, to end the war in Iraq and to address critical environmental issues is exactly what we need to defeat Congressman Garrett this fall."

The question seems to come up every two years: is incumbent 5th District Rep. E. Scott Garrett vulnerable to a Democratic challenge? 

This year is no exception.

Challengers during Garrett’s first three campaigns thought they had a good shot, but he managed to beat them by double digit margins each time – even if those margins have narrowed each time.

But both of the Democrats vying to take him on say that this time is different, and both have released internal polls that they say proves it. 

The frontrunner in the Democratic race, blind rabbi/psychologist Dennis Shulman, reported today that he has raised $125,000 last quarter and has $245,500 cash-on-hand.  That's a slowdown from his previous quarter of fundraising, but Shulman is ahead of any of Garrett's previous Democratic challengers: Paul Stuart Aronsohn, Dorothea Wolfe or Anne Sumers. 

Another Democrat wants to challenge Republican incumbent E. Scott Garrett in the fifth Congressional district. 

Sort of. 

Roger Bacon, who said that he's actually a registered Republican, has filed to run as a Democrat against Rabbi/psychologist Dennis Shulman and lawyer Camille Abate.  

Bacon, who is running under the slogan “Independent Democrat for Lower Energy Cost,” lives in Phillipsburg and runs a customized ceramic gift mug business called Luvmug.

Fifth district Democratic congressional candidate Dennis Shulman rolled out some new Bergen County endorsements today, touting them as a sign that the Bergen County Democratic Organization is coalescing behind him. But his primary opponent, Camille Abate, issued a press release listing several Bergen County endorsements as well.

Endorsements of Dennis Shulman’s campaign for Congress by Assemblywoman Connie Wagner and Freeholder James Carroll  is a signal that the blind Rabbi/psychologist is headed toward an endorsement by the Bergen County Democratic Organization.  Wagner and Carroll are close to the party leadership and are not likely to go off on their own to endorse a candidate in the fifth district race.  Shulman has raised nearly $200,000 for his challenge to three-term incumbent Scott Garrett.

Congressional candidate Dennis Shulman was endorsed by Assemblywoman Connie WagnerFifth district Democratic congressional candidate Dennis Shulman today announced the support of 38th district Assemblywoman Connie Wagner and Bergen County Freeholder James Carroll in his primary bid against Camille Abate.

The Bergen County Democratic Organization will hold a convention on February 28th to choose the candidate who will occupy the county line in the district, the biggest chunk of which is in Bergen County – especially amongst Democratic primary voters.

Shulman has the support of New Milford Mayor Frank DeBari and Alpine Mayor Paul Tomasko, as well as several municipal chairs and former 39thdistrict legislative candidates Joe Ariyan, Esther Fletcher and Carl Manna. Abate recently announced the support of Passaic County Sheriff Jerry Speziale and several local union officials.

Fifth district Democratic congressional candidate Camille Abate announced the endorsement of Passaic County Sheriff Jerry Speziale today.

“A woman of conviction and fight can win this district,” said Speaizle.  “That woman is Camille Abate.”