“Congressman Josh Gottheimer has spent his time in Congress solving problems and working with members of both parties to get results for small businesses, veterans and first responders. His tireless work ethic and tenacity resonate deeply in his community. Just as importantly, Congressman Gottheimer knows how to win tough races. It has been an honor serving with Congressman Gottheimer, and I look forward to serving with him for years to come.”
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To: Interested Parties
From: Evan Lukaske, DCCC regional press secretary
Date: June 5, 2018
Re: The Case Against John McCann
The primary results in New Jersey’s 5th Congressional District put Congressman Josh Gottheimer in excellent position to win reelection in this northern New Jersey seat. The general election pits the moderate, bipartisan Gottheimer against Republican rubber stamp and tax cheat John McCann. Gottheimer has spent his time in Congress working across the aisle to find bipartisan solutions for lower taxes, less regulation, job growth, veterans, and first responders. He has also worked to claw back more federal tax dollars back to the District and was recently recognized by the Lugar Center as the Most Bipartisan Freshman Democrat in the House. Conversely, McCann has endorsed an agenda that has increased taxes and hiked health care premiums for many New Jersey families. Worse, while he supports hiking taxes on others, McCann has voted to raise property taxes and has a history of not paying his own taxes.
Gottheimer has done an excellent job consolidating support in his district and raising the resources to win re-election. With unprecedented grassroots energy, and Gottheimer’s strong candidacy, Democrats are in excellent position to hold this seat.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
HEADLINE: Lonegan ad attacks ‘Flim Flam McCann’ [New Jersey Globe, 5/22/18]
“Gottheimer, ranked eighth overall on the index, was named as the most bipartisan Democratic freshman for 2017.” [NJ Herald, 4/29/18]
HEADLINE: Gottheimer’s first big move: A smart deal on health care [Star-Ledger, column, 8/6/2017]
“Gottheimer had $3.9 million in the bank. Both Washington-based publications that track congressional races, the Cook Political Report and Inside Elections, rate Gottheimer as the favorite to win a second term.” [Star-Ledger, 5/27/18]
McCANN: TAX CHEATING RUBBER STAMP
Supports bill that capped the SALT deduction and sends New Jersey tax dollars to other states
McCann has given his support to a tax-hike bill that kicked New Jersey in the teeth, gutted the state and local tax (SALT) deduction, blew a $1.9 trillion hole in the deficit and raised taxes on New Jerseyans to pay for tax breaks in other states.
A key cause of the financial pain is the capping of the state and local tax deduction, a major tax break that saves Garden State families thousands of dollars per year. Incredibly, 52% of filers in NJ-05 claim the SALT deduction—the fourth highest percentage of any district in the entire country.
Speaker Ryan may be retiring, but not before making a clear, problematic declaration that McCann will have to address: that Republicans intend to use the deficit hole to slash Medicare and Social Security.
Significantly, the bill also gutted the Affordable Care Act and the nonpartisan CBO found it will increase health care premiums in a state that just experienced a 24% spike last year.
Health Care Repeal
Even though the repeal bill ultimately failed in the Senate, it did succeed in causing massive spikes in New Jersey health care premiums. Directly citing uncertainty in health care markets due to the effort to repeal the ACA, New Jersey’s largest health insurer hiked premium rates an average of 24% for 2018.
Unfortunately, the damage is just getting started. The Congressional Budget Office released a report this May showing that health insurance premiums will rise about 15% nationwide next year due to the actions of Congressional Republicans.
Tax cheat hypocrite
Garden State families paid the highest property taxes in the country before the tax-hike bill capped the SALT deduction and imposed another layer of financial pain. Not only does McCann support this twisted bill, but he does so having failed to pay his own taxes on time, and after voting to raise property taxes on New Jersey families.
On multiple occasions, the IRS has taken legal action to force McCann to pay his taxes, filing nearly $136,000 in tax liens against the GOP nominee. McCann has also voted four times to raise property taxes as Cresskill Borough County councilman.
THE PATH TO VICTORY
New Jersey’s 5th Congressional District is a highly educated, affluent, suburban district. The district is 28% more affluent than the state average and the number of constituents with college decrees is 23% higher than the state average.
After former Republican Governor Chris Christie carried the district in both of his gubernatorial elections, Democratic Governor Phil Murphy narrowly won the district in 2017. In their most recent election, Senators Menendez and Booker each narrowly carried this congressional district. It is a true purple district.
Congressman Josh Gottheimer is in strong position to win reelection. In 2016, Gottheimer beat longtime incumbent Scott Garret to become one of only six Democrats to defeat a sitting Republican member of Congress. Since then, Gottheimer has built a national reputation for bipartisanship as a co-chair of the Problem Solvers Caucus. Fiscally responsible and socially progressive, Gottheimer’s work to cut taxes, eliminate outdated regulations, improve infrastructure, and fight for veterans and first responders, resonates strongly in this community. Gottheimer has built himself into a fundraising powerhouse. He has raised more than $4.4 million in his first term in Congress, and most recently held more than $3.9 million cash on hand.