Top New Jersey Republican Won't Seek Re-Election

Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen, a 12-term Republican from northern New Jersey, has become the latest casualty of the Trump revolution.

Cast as a Trump acolyte by some of his Democratic constituents, and largely isolated from his own party as it moved further to the right, Frelinghuysen announced Monday that he will not seek re-election during mid-term elections this fall.

The moderate Republican, the heir to a political dynasty that stretches back to the American Revolution, had risen to become the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee just a year ago. But at the same time, a group of suburban women, shocked and dismayed by the results of the 2016 presidential election, formed NJ 11th for Change,  named after the 11th congressional district, which Frelinghuysen represents. They started holding weekly protests at his office, "Fridays with Frelinghuysen," left comments with his staff, and otherwise put him on the spot. The more the congressman tried to avoid them, the more they made an issue of his absence.

NJ 11th for Change founder and co-executive director Elizabeth Juviler called Frelinghuysen's retirement announcement a victory for grassroots organizing.

"That's the power of the people," she said. "Our voices were heard and he no longer could garner support."

The congressman also earned unwanted attention after WNYC reported that he sent a fundraising letter to a board member of a bank, complaining about a "ringleader" of NJ 11th for Change who worked there.    

Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen wrote a fundraising letter in March 2017 to a board member of a local bank, warning him that a member of an activist group opposing the Republican worked at his bank.

Photo courtesy of Saily Avelenda.

Frelinghuysen said in a statement announcing his retirement that he was proud of his efforts to work in a bipartisan manner to advance the annual spending bills that make up almost one-third of the federal budget.

"My deepest devotion has been to supporting our armed forces, all volunteers and their families, here and abroad," he said.

Frelinghuysen was first elected in the 1994 GOP wave, but cut a more moderate profile during more than two decades in the House.

Political contestants are starting to eye Frelinghuysen's seat. Democrat Mikie Sherill, a former federal prosecutor and Navy helicopter pilot, has raised more than Frelinghuysen did for his re-election and posed an unusual formidable challenge to the incumbent. Republican State Assemblymen Anthony M. Bucco and Jay Webber are also potential candidates.