Assemblyman Gary Schaer (D-Passaic) will not run for Congress, taking one prominent name out of the fast-developing race for the late Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-Paterson)’s House seat.
“Like everyone else whose name would be mentioned, I’m immensely flattered,” Schaer told the New Jersey Globe. “But in terms of the priorities that I have and want to get done, I think they need to be more directed on a state level than on a federal level.”
Schaer, who is also the Passaic City Council President, could have had a unique ability to bridge the geographic divides in the district, since he lives in Passaic County but represents a largely Bergen County-based legislative district. And as an Orthodox Jew who once held more socially conservative stances in the legislature, Schaer would have brought an unusual profile to the Democratic caucus in Congress.
But Schaer said he’ll instead focus on his state work and leave the congressional jockeying to other candidates, some of whom he thought could be “very exciting” (though he didn’t mention any by name).
“There’s some pretty good candidates who I’ve heard are considering, and I think that could potentially be very exciting,” he said.
Two candidates, Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly (D-Paterson) and Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter (D-North Haledon), have already entered the race, and a number of other local Democrats are mulling campaigns as well.
Pascrell, who represented parts of North Jersey in Congress for nearly three decades, died yesterday after a month-long hospitalization. His death prompted an outpouring of tributes – and an extremely rapid campaign to succeed him.
Under state law, Democrats have to choose a new nominee to replace the congressman on the November ballot by next Thursday, August 29. Sometime before then, Democratic county committeemembers from Passaic, Bergen, and Hudson Counties will meet for a convention to choose who among the burgeoning field of Democrats will take up Pascrell’s mantle.