Anti-first responder, anti-women, anti-gay bigot
After seven-term incumbent, Tea Partier Scott Garrett, lost reelection to Representative Josh Gottheimer, you would think the GOP would have learned not to run another anti-gay, anti-choice, bigoted candidate for Congress, who has also worked against first responders.
Spoiler alert: they haven’t. They are doubling down on crazy.
Because with Steve Lonegan’s entrance into the race for New Jersey’s 5thCongressional District, voters will again be able to reject an anti-choice, anti-gay Tea Party bigot whose positions are severely out-of-step with New Jersey values.
“Tea Party extremist Steve Lonegan manages to even make Scott Garrett look reasonable,” said DCCC Spokesman Evan Lukaske. “From opposing choice, even in cases of rape and incest, to his anti-gay and anti-minority bigotry, to working against law enforcement and firefighters, Lonegan’s Tea Party politics have no place in New Jersey. Those aren’t New Jersey values. In the past twelve years, Lonegan has run four times for three different offices and, despite his fundraising prowess, has lost every time—it’s not often that I agree with President Trump, but he hit the nail on the head when he called Lonegan ‘a loser.’”
Lukaske continued, “New Jersey families deserve to be represented by Josh Gottheimer, who is working tirelessly with members of both parties to solve problems for northern New Jersey and cut taxes while fighting for veterans, first responders, families and seniors.”
In addition to his perennial loser status, Lonegan holds beliefs that would fit better in Mississippi than in Northern New Jersey. Consider that Lonegan:
- Opposes a woman’s right to choose, and would make abortion illegal even in cases of rape or incest.
- As a public official, said “a radical left gay contingent dominates media attention” and that gay people “shouldn’t expect government to foist acceptance of their lifestyle on others.”
- Accused 9/11 first responders of trying to “find any reason to sue” by concocting a fake “respiratory ailment.”
- Was described by President Trump as a “loser.”
- Infamously opposed a Spanish-language McDonald’s sign in his town of Bogota as a “divisive” ad that suggested immigrants did not need to learn English and assimilate to the community. Despite his extreme anti-immigration positions, Lonegan was caught hiring two illegal immigrants to help assemble political signs for his organization Americans for Prosperity of New Jersey.
Lukaske concluded by asking, “Is this a bad dream, or didn’t New Jersey voters just reject an anti-woman, anti-gay Tea Party bigot last November?”
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