U.S. House, New Jersey - 5th District
North and west -- Bergenfield, Paramus
Race Forecast: Republican Favored
2008: Garrett (R) vs. Dennis Shulman (D)
2006: Garrett 55%, Peter Aronsohn (D) 44%
TThe campaign of Democrat Dennis Shulman gained steam as he headed towards Election Day, picking up national attention and earning a place on the DCCC’s “Red to Blue” List. Shulman, a rabbi who has been blind since childhood, has spent time and energy amassing support in northern New Jersey and respect from Washington. But Garrett is likely to retain his seat in a district that leans Republican and where President Bush received 57 percent of the vote in 2004.
Race Information
- Incumbent: Rep. Scott Garrett, R
- First Elected: 2002 (3rd term)
- Last Elected: 2006 (54.91%)
- Incumbent Status: Running for re-election
- Race Forecast: Republican Favored
District Information
Politics in America District Profile
Although the 5th stretches across northern New Jersey, three-fifths of its population is packed into northern Bergen County, which is home to affluent, Republican-leaning voters, many of whom commute into New York City. The rest of the district is scenic and hilly, and includes the state’s small portion of the Appalachian Trail.
The 5th’s property values and income levels are among the highest in the state, and no municipality here has more than 30,000 residents. The 5th also has the smallest minority population of any New Jersey district.
Saddle River, in wealthy Bergen County, is home to multimillion-dollar homes, but Bergen County’s tony suburbs contrast with a more rural feel in the 5th’s portion of Passaic County to the west, which includes attractions dating back to the colonial era.
The scenic back country of Sussex and Warren counties traditionally has been a mix of farmland and small towns, but both counties have started to change as young professionals from New York City move into the area. Warren County’s population has increased by more than 20 percent since 1990, and the county continues to experience significant housing development.
The 5th tends to vote Republican, but Democrats remain successful in some pockets, including Tenafly in Bergen County and Phillipsburg in south Warren County, the only county to lie entirely within the district’s boundaries. George W. Bush captured 57 percent of the 5th’s vote in the 2004 presidential election — his second-best showing in the state. The Bergen County portion of the district favored Bush by 8 percentage points, and his margin was even more lopsided in the 5th’s part of the three outlying counties. Despite the GOP strength, most voters continue to register as independents.
Major Industry
Pharmaceuticals, electronics, shipping, agriculture
Cities
West Milford (unincorporated), 26,410; Bergenfield, 26,247; Paramus, 25,737; Ridgewood, 24,936
Notable
Mars US, manufacturer of the M&M’s brand, has a national office in Hackettstown; The New Jersey Botanical Garden is in Ringwood.
- Demographics (2000 census)
- Population: 647,258
- Under 18: 26%
- Over 65: 13%
- Married: 63.5%
- Non-Hispanic White: 86%
- Black: 1%
- Hispanic: 4%
- Asian: 7%
- Foreign Born: 12.9%
- Language other than English: 17.0%
- Median Household Income: 72,781
- Owner Occupied Housing: 82%
- Income above $200k: 8.2
- Workforce/Education (2000 census)
- White Collar: 72.9%
- Blue Collar: 16.4%
- Services: 10.7%
- Bachelor's Degree: 39%
- Graduate Education: 14.0%
- Civilian Veterans: 55,372
| Year | Election | Candidate | Votes | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | general | Scott Garrett (R) | 164,635 | 56.2% |
| Dennis Shulman (D) | 123,297 | 42.1% | ||
| Ed Fanning (GREEN) | 4,929 | 1.7% | ||
| 2006 | general | Scott Garrett (R) | 112,142 | 54.9% |
| Paul Aronsohn (D) | 89,503 | 43.8% | ||
| R. Matthew Fretz (AIV) | 2,597 | 1.3% | ||
| 2004 | general | Scott Garrett (R) | 171,220 | 57.6% |
| Anne Wolfe (D) | 122,259 | 41.1% | ||
| Victor Kaplan (LIBERT) | 1,857 | 0.6% | ||
| Thomas Phelan (C) | 1,515 | 0.5% | ||
| Gregory Pason (S) | 574 | 0.2% | ||
| 2002 | general | Scott Garrett (R) | 118,881 | 59.5% |
| Anne Sumers (D) | 76,504 | 38.3% | ||
| Michael Cino (LTI) | 4,466 | 2.2% | ||
| Year | Democrat | Republican | Independent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | John Kerry: 42% | George W. Bush: 57% | |
| 2000 | Al Gore: 46% | George W. Bush: 54% |
Campaign Finance Details for the 2008 Race
| Filers | Through | Total Receipts | Total Disbursements | Total From PACs | Total From Individuals | Ending Cash | Debts Owed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CARDINALE, GERALD (R) | September 30, 2006 | $634.00 | $271,791.00 | ||||
| YOSRI, AKRAM (R) | September 30, 2008 | ||||||
| ABATE, CAMILLE M (D) | October 15, 2008 | $290,732.00 | $278,942.00 | $244,309.00 | $13,022.00 | ||
| GARRETT, SCOTT (R) | November 24, 2008 | $1,548,223.00 | $1,688,415.00 | $57,320.00 | $933,578.00 | $50,851.00 | |
| ARONSOHN, PAUL S (D) | August 27, 2008 | $1,923.00 | $12,638.00 | $136.00 | |||
| WOLFE, DOROTHEA ANNE (D) | September 30, 2008 | $12,390.00 | $1,616.00 | ||||
| SHULMAN, DENNIS G (D) | November 24, 2008 | $1,221,943.00 | $1,194,285.00 | $30,500.00 | $854,663.00 | $27,660.00 | $25,000.00 |
