Deputy Mayor Adam Gussen announced Sunday a congressional run against Republican Rep. Scott Garrett for the newly drawn 5th District, which now includes a large swath of Teaneck.

“Scott Garrett is wrong for the people of the 5th District, and the people of N.J.  He represents the fringe of the Republican party and is not representative of the values nor sensitive to the needs of those he was elected to represent,” Gussen said in a statement issued Sunday night. “He has become a caricature of himself trying to outdo the most right wing of the right wing the most conservative of the conservative.”

Teaneck was split in congressional redistricting after Rep. Steve Rothman's former 9th District was redrawn. A large chunk of the township was carved off for the Republican-leaning 5th District.       

Rothman opted to challenge fellow Democrat Rep. Bill Pascrell in the 9th District rather than take on Garrett. Passaic County Freeholder Director Terry Duffy, state Sen. Bob Gordon, Assemblywoman Connie Wagner and former Giants linebacker Harry Carson are said to be exploring a run against Garrett, but none have made a formal announcement.

A Garrett spokesperson could not be reached.

Gussen's full statement is below: 

I am running for Congress.  I love my job, am dedicated to the people of Teaneck, and find hard to imagine spending this much time away from my family.

In grade school we learned that pro and con are opposites.  It has taken the likes of Scott Garrett to teach us all how Congress has become the opposite of Progress.

Scott Garrett is wrong for the people of the 5th District, and the people of NJ.  He represents the fringe of the republican party and is not representative of the values nor sensitive to the needs of those he was elected to represent.  He has become a caricature of himself trying to outdo the most right wing of the right wing the most conservative of the conservative.

District 5 needs something new.

Garrett is not the only thing to be concerned about.  While America sits each night waiting to be star struck by the likes of American Idol, Celebrity Apprentice and others, there are some things we need to keep in perspective.  While often seedy, dirty and not fit for prime time, The US Congress is not a reality TV show.  We cannot select our representatives like an episode of dancing with the stars.  Bored celebrities and ex-athletes seeking the next thrill are not the answer to the critical and real issues facing us today.

Employment, the economy, healthcare, security and education must take a front seat ahead of the lowest common denominator elements of pop culture or hyper partisanship.

Garrett has voted against:

Stopping price gouging by big oil
Flood insurance programs
Disaster relief
Women's health issues
Child locks on hand guns
Energy efficiency rebates
Voting Rights
9/11 first responders
Payroll tax breaks
Incentives for job creation
Critical spending for Veterans

If he's against all that, what does he stand for?  Besides teaching Biblical Creationism in school, and bucking decades of American foreign policy on Taiwan and China it's hard quite frankly to see what he's for.

The climate of hyper partisanship, and being the voice of No will not put people back to work.  It will not educate our children nor will it make us safer or healthier.

I am not a career politician, I have not cashed millions of dollars in politician's paychecks, and I have not gotten rich while in office. Garrett can't say the same.