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(Morristown) – July 28, 2010 – This morning, Douglas Herbert’s Campaign for Congress delivered a letter to Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen’s Campaign Headquarters in Morristown challenging him to participate in a series of three debates across the Eleventh District. Douglas Herbert, the Democratic challenger running against the eight-term incumbent, wrote, “As candidates for the House of Representatives and out of respect for our American democracy, we owe it to the voters to hold honest and open debates about the future of our nation.”

The letter challenged Frelinghuysen to participate in one debate a month until Election Day. The first debate topic would be on the state of the economy and the need for job creation, the second debate would address energy policy and the environment and the third debate would be an open forum where residents from across the Eleventh District could ask the candidates direct questions.

With millions of Americans out of work and many more struggling to make ends meet, residents of the Eleventh deserve an honest choice on who to vote for this November. Herbert’s campaign is waiting to hear back from the Frelinghuysen camp, and whether or not the Congressman will participate in an open discussion about the issues.

Read the letter: Letter to Rodney

Want to contact Rodney’s Office

(Morristown) – July 22, 2010 – Yesterday, Douglas Herbert who is running for Congress visited the Interfaith Food Pantry in Morristown to see the firsthand impact of the economic crisis on people of the 11th District. Talking with staff and volunteers at the Pantry, Doug commended their work on behalf of those who have been hit the hardest by the rising tide of job losses.

In Morris County alone, unemployment more than doubled to 7.5% since March 2008, and the number of people seeking assistance was up 17% in the first six months of this year. Doug McMahon, the Volunteer Director of the Pantry, spoke with Doug about the “new invisible poor,” Americans who were living from paycheck to paycheck until they lost their jobs to the economic downturn and who are now in an even greater crisis.

The Morris County Sheriff’s Office also said that in the last six months foreclosure sales increased by 111% from 2009 with 523 scheduled foreclosures.

Over the past month, temporary services such as the Pantry have seen a marked rise in requests for assistance. In June alone, 4,574 of our friends and neighbors had to ask for help from Morris County’s Office of Temporary Assistance. Mary Jo Buchanan from the Department of Human services attributed the increase in requests for help in part to Representative Rodney Frelinghuysen’s party blocking passage of the unemployment relief act in Congress.

Nevertheless, this afternoon at 2pm, the eight-term incumbent Frelinghuysen voted for the second time against extending unemployment benefits to our friends and neighbors who have been unable to find work.

Douglas Herbert believes strongly that “Frelinghuysen’s vote was the wrong one for America, the 11th District and our economy. At a time when there are 5 job seekers for every 1 available job, our present representative has chosen to ignore the people he was elected to help. Now is not a time to play politics with people’s lives. Frelinghuysen had an opportunity today to help hardworking Americans who, through no fault of their own, are in a severe economic crisis, the worst since the Great Depression, and instead he turned his back on them.”

“By putting money in the hands of those who will use it,” Doug continued, “we will create an economic recovery one dollar at a time. Let’s get America working again. Then, we can reduce the deficit and return our country to economic prosperity.”

(Morristown) – July 20, 2010 – As the current economic crisis appears
to be getting worse, Rodney Frelinghuysen and his Washington D.C.
colleagues are stopping help from getting to the people who need it,
the unemployed. Douglas Herbert, who is running against the eight-term incumbent, said, “by voting against the ‘Restoration of Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act,’ Frelinghuysen once again showed that he is willing turn his back on those who elected him and that party politics is more important than taking care of the people of his district.”

Right here, in Morris County and across Northern New Jersey, New
Jerseyans are shouldering an overwhelming burden. On July 15, the
Daily Record reported that unemployment in April and May in Morris
County more than doubled from March 2008 to 7.5% and that the number of people seeking assistance was up 17% in the first six months of this year. In June alone, 4,574 of our friends and neighbors had to ask for help from Morris County’s Office of Temporary Assistance. Mary Jo Buchanan from the Department of Human services reported that the increase in requests for help was due in part to Frelinghuysen’s party blocking passage of the unemployment relief act in Congress.

According to Doug, “at a time when there are 5 job seekers for each
available job, our present representative Frelinghuysen is choosing to
ignore his constituents. Now is not a time to play politics with
people’s lives, now is a time for Congress to lead, a time for
Congress to help us make it through this economic crisis. We need a
representative in Congress who will stand up and fight for us and not
one who bows to his party’s leadership at our expense.”

Doug believes that “Congress should approve the extension of
unemployment benefits and begin to give the States assistance to avoid further layoffs of hardworking Americans. By putting money in the
hands of those who will use it, we will create an economic recovery
one dollar at a time. Once American is working again, Congress can
work to reduce our deficit and return our country to its economic
prosperity.”

(Morristown) – July 12, 2010 – This past weekend, Douglas Herbert’s Campaign for Congress kicked off with a whirlwind of house parties in Basking Ridge, Parsippany, Bloomingdale, Madison, Randolph and a Sunday fundraiser in Morristown. During his six-town swing, Doug addressed over 150 residents who had turned out to hear him present his plan for the future of New Jersey and the United States.

At the parties, Doug emphasized the importance of creating jobs and pursuing green energy alternatives. In Randolph he said, “Five job seekers for every available job is unacceptable. We need our Congress’ first priority to be putting people back to work.” Later on Saturday, at his stop in Parsippany, Doug turned to a group of students and said, “This is your future that’s on the line. We must pursue a comprehensive energy strategy, one with green solutions, because America must lead the green revolution or risk falling behind.”

Doug’s remarks were well received, and attendees came away energized and enthusiastic for the November election. Aaron Shinn who attended the Madison house party remarked, “Doug was so passionate and really showed that he cares about what he’s talking about. We need his leadership in Washington.”

Doug’s campaign is looking to build on the momentum from this weekend as Doug fights to unseat Republican incumbent Rodney Frelinghuysen. On Sunday night, Doug stated, “I was very happy with this weekend, everywhere I went, whether I talked to Democrats, Independents, or Republicans, the message I kept hearing from voters was we want a new Congressman in the Eleventh district.”

Read more: Independent Press, Patch, Alternative Press