Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-Paterson), facing a longshot Democratic primary challenge from Prospect Park Mayor Mohamed Khairullah, announced today that he has the support of the House’s Democratic leadership team for another term in the 9th congressional district.
“A valued member of our Democratic Caucus, Congressman Bill Pascrell is a principled leader and trusted public servant focused on making life better for hardworking New Jersey families,” Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Minority Whip Katherine Clark, and Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar said in a joint statement. “Throughout his time in Congress, Bill has worked hard to protect reproductive freedom, fight for a fair tax system and make our communities safer.”
House Democratic leaders typically back all incumbents seeking re-election, so the endorsement is not unexpected. Still, it’s yet another sign that Pascrell has managed to unify nearly the entire Democratic establishment, both state and national, behind his re-election campaign against Khairullah, who has struggled to find many supporters of his own.
The endorsement is the second one that Jeffries, Clark, and Aguilar have made in New Jersey this cycle; they’re also backing Rep. Rob Menendez (D-Jersey City), who is facing a much stiffer challenge from Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla.
Three other incumbent New Jersey Democrats – Reps. Frank Pallone (D-Long Branch), Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing) – also have primary challengers, but none seem especially serious.