Passaic County Freeholder Terry Duffy has decided against running in the Fifth Congressional District.
“After many conversations with party leaders, elected officials, and my family over the past three months, I have decided that the right decision is to step aside and remove my name as a candidate for Congress in New Jersey’s 5th District,” the Democrat said in a statement. “Although I believe that this is a winnable race and Scott Garrett is vulnerable, a divisive primary is not in the best interest of the Democratic Party. I am going to continue to work with leaders across Bergen, Passaic, Sussex, and Warren Counties to find the right candidate who can bring real representation to the families of the 5th District.
“With pressing problems still facing Passaic County, I think it is best to focus on the job I was elected to do in 2010. Over the past nine years we continue to be a model of how county government should work in New Jersey – enacting shared service agreements, shrinking the size of government, and maintaining vital county services. Additionally, with my friend Congressman Bill Pascrell in a tough reelection battle, I want to be available to campaign on his behalf as much as possible over the next four months to ensure his victory.”
