Congressman Lance faces challenge by newcomer Potosnak in NJ’s 7th District
WOODBRIDGE, NJ -- While Ed Potosnak sat in his Main Street campaign headquarters making personal phone calls to voters, his opponent, Leonard Lance, was sitting in Virginia vacationing before Congress reconvenes next week.
But don't suggest the freshman congressman is resting on his laurels.
“I'm taking my election seriously,” Lance said. “I believe my views are the views of the overwhelming majority of the people I serve and will be serving.”
Lance's toughest challenge may be behind him.
In June, the Hunterdon County Republican beat back three Tea Party-inspired candidates to clinch the party's nomination.
Despite the looming November election day, his campaign's website hasn't been updated since.
CNN, meanwhile, has taken the 7th District, which spans parts of Middlesex, Somerset and Hunterdon counties, off its list of 100 Races to Watch.
Potosnak, a North Plainfield resident, was unopposed in the primary, but as of Friday had just $72,485 in the bank. Lance's war chest, meanwhile, still has $358,877, according to the most recent filings available from the Federal Election Commission.
Potosnak, a former Bridgewater-Raritan science teacher and former staffer to Rep. Mike Honda of California, is running as the un-politician.
He calls Lance, who served in the state Legislature for almost two decades, a “career politician focused on keeping his own job.” He says Lance is a hypocrite for reneging on an earmark spending pledge and slams him for spending more than $20,300 of federal money this year to mail newsletters to constituents.
Lance, on the other hand, says his opponent “favors the liberal agenda of Nancy Pelosi,” the speaker of the House, and calls him a Johnny-come-lately.
“I have lived in my district my entire life,” Lance said. “My opponent moved into the district eight months ago to run for Congress. I did not move into Clinton Township to run for Congress.”
On the issue of earmarks, those pull-out spending requests made by congressmen for their districts, Lance said the pledge he signed with Citizens Against Government Waste “requires that any earmark request is fully transparent and open and in no way involves a financial interest of my own -- and any request of mine has certainly fulfilled those responsibilities.”
Lance's $20.7 million in earmarks went to such projects as a “Cultural Tolerance Education initiative” in Bernardsville ($312,000), starting up a green business “incubator” and office park in Woodbridge ($250,000), and street-scape work in North Plainfield ($300,000).
Potosnak doesn't criticize Lance for bringing home the bacon. “On the contrary, we are criticizing him for changing his position.
“I think this is something career politicians do. They say one thing, make a promise, then they go and do something else and hope no one is looking.”
Both candidates see unemployment and the $1.3 trillion federal budget deficit as major concerns, but offer varying solutions.
Lance describes himself as a fiscal hawk and touts his state record of successfully suing then Gov. James McGreevey to prevent the state from borrowing money to plug budget holes.
He opposes another stimulus package or bank bailout. Last month he voted against a $26 billion bailout bill that would provide New Jersey $268 million to rehire teachers and school employees.
“The money is distributed in the next year or two and is not paid back for another 10 years,” said Lance in explaining his vote. “A significant portion of where this money would come from would be food stamps.”
Potosnak called Lance's reason “an excuse” and said he supports “pay-as-you-go” rules to control federal spending.
“We need to rein in out-of-control spending and ensure our debt, for the sake of our children and grandchildren, is not passed onto them. We do that by changing our priorities and making some cuts to areas we could be spending less.”
As an example, he offered the war in Afghanistan, which has cost $400 billion since its start. He's also opposed to the American Clean Energy and Security Act, the so-called "cap-and-trade bill" that Lance supported in the House but now says he would not now support.
“We do not need to go into the red to go green,” Potosnak said. “The legislation that the House passed places an extreme burden on consumers.”
Voters who'd like to hear the two debate will have to keep waiting. Potosnak has called on Lance to debate in every county of the district.
“I'm not sure what he's hiding from,” Potosnak said.
Lance said he'll be busy on Capitol Hill this month.
“I suggest my opponent take the time to get to know the district to a greater extent than is now the case,” he said.