Pinkin: Middlesex congressional district “seems like a good idea”

Assemblywoman Nancy Pinkin (D-East Brunswick) on Tuesday told the New Jersey Globe that Middlesex County getting its own congressional district could be a good idea.

“Looking at the numbers, it seems like it’s a good idea,” Pinkin said. “We haven’t discussed it yet, but I think we have to work towards the census and make sure we know what our numbers are.”

Middlesex County is currently split between the sixth and 12th congressional districts, but it has grown in population and political force since those lines were drawn in 1991. In 1992, those lines eliminated a congressional district seated on Middlesex County.

Between then and now, the county’s growth has outpaced the growth of the state at large, jumping by 23% compared to the state’s swell of 14%.

State Sen. Bob Smith told the Globe last month that the county should have its own congressional district, but said he couldn’t whinge about it much because he was satisfied with the county’s representation.

Rep. Frank Pallone holds the sixth congressional district’s House seat, while Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman represents the 12th congressional district.

“We have really great representation,” Pinkin said. “We love who we’re working with. Congressman Pallone is awesome, and he’s in a leadership position, but Middlesex County does have a lot of numbers, and the numbers are growing.”