Retire Garrett

The Republican Assembly candidates in the 39th District are up to their old tricks. Their most recent attack against their Democratic opponents, Mike McCarthy and John Shahdanian, came in the form of a disingenuous, misspelled, badly photo shopped mailer distributed throughout the 39^th district. See it below.

The Republicans’ efforts continue to underscore the casual relationship with the truth that we have, unfortunately, come to expect from our elected officials.

The Republicans claim that McCarthy and Shahdanian  will “reduce property tax relief”.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Over the past four years a Democratic led statehouse has provided more than $7 billion dollars in property tax relief to New Jersey homeowners.  If the Republicans had their way New Jersey residents would not have received the nearly $2 billion dollars in property tax rebates provided this year alone.

On this issue McCarthy and Shahdanian are ready and equipped to provide genuine leadership in uncertain times.  They will push hard to address the structural issues that drive New Jersey residents property tax burdens.  Their position advocating the consolidation of municipal services shows they are willing to adopt the bold thinking needed to improve the lives of New Jersey residents.  Mike and John are serious about advocating for the average voter against the vested interests that have stood in the way of reform.

Additionally, the Republicans claim that McCarthy and Shahdanian have “continued to refuse to support the reopening” of Pascack Valley Hospital.  This is a blatant falsehood.

As Democrats, Mike and John are strong believers that all New Jerseyans deserve access to high quality, affordable, health-care services. Their platform has long maintained that reopening Pascack Valley Hospital is central to achieving this goal.   It is important, after all, for voters to remember that it was the Democrats who reduced the number of uninsured in our state by 11 percent. When it comes to demanding high-quality health care, voters can always depend on the Democrats.

The fact that the Vandervalk and Schroeder campaign feel it necessary to resort to such distortions belies the dearth of ideas that has long characterized their tenure as representatives of the 39^th district.

The voters of the 39^th deserve better; Mike McCarthy and John Shahdanian will do better.

"Desperate Republicans": Robert Schroeder Looks On

In typical Republican stronghold District 39,  the two Republican candidates for Assembly are beginning to get scared that their long shot Democratic opponents, John Shahdanian and Mike McCarthy, are going to pull off an upset victory. Not only that but the Republican party at large is scared as well.

Just look at this recent post on the New Jersey Republican party’s mouthpiece blog Save Jersey. The Conservative bloggers derided the 39th’s Democratic campaign as, ”dispirited and desperate,” for posting a volunteer opportunity on craigslist, as if craigslist is a site reserved for the lowly, unwashed masses who cannot find anything better to do with their lives. (Ironically they included a link to volunteer on the 39th Republican Assembly campaign at the end of their post). The only problem with their logic is that without craigslist millions of people would be deprived of a place to look for jobs among many other crucial services the site offers.

In another example of the Republicans desperation in the 39th they actually copied the format, style, and some of the script of the Democrats’ first and only YouTube web ad. With all the money, campaign experience, and connections from their years in Trenton the Republicans couldn’t even come up with their own streaming video, just an imitation of their underfunded Democratic opponents’ version.

The 39th is a very Republican district and has a good chance of staying that way in the Assembly this year. For that reason the Republican party should be walking the straight and narrow in their campaign. Unfortunately they have decided that ridiculing and ripping off their underdog Democratic opponents is the best way to ensure the 39th stays red.

Too bad for the Republicans the Democrats aren’t going to take their insults sitting down this year. They are going to fight until the very end of the campaign season making sure every 39th District resident knows who will represent them the best in Trenton – Mike McCarthy and John Shahdanian.

Help Mike and John fend of the shifty Republicans in the 39th and pull off one of the biggest upsets in New Jersey electoral history. Visit their website to learn more. You can also become a member of their facebook page. To directly contact the campaign contact Jack at 201-913-2947 or jackbgroakre@gmail.com.

Remember, vote Mike and John on November 3rd Election Day!

Election Day is almost a month away. Many New Jersey Democrats are fighting tooth and nail either to hold on to their seats or to win seats held by Republicans: Governor Corzine is in an epic battle for re-election. Seemingly entrenched Democratic Assemblymen and women are on their heels fighting off Republican challengers. And in some traditionally Republican Assembly Districts, upstart Democrats are defying the odds in attempting to defeat longtime incumbents…

In Assembly District 39, spanning from New Milford to Upper Saddle River and Waldwick to Alpine, Democrats John Shahdanian and Mike McCarthy are mounting the challenge of a lifetime. John and Mike are squaring off against incumbent Republican Assemblywoman Charlotte Vandervalk and Robert Schroeder. District 39 is known as a Republican stronghold but John and Mike are proving Democrats have a place there too – watch their web ad to see what they stand for and what they’ll do when elected:

A Democratic victory in the 39th will help pave the way for a Democratic victory in the 5th District in 2010 over Rep. Scott Garrett. With John and Mike in office in the 39th a strong base of support can be built in the heart of the 5th, and through that base the entire district can become affected. By helping John and Mike get elected now you will essentially be helping Scott Garrett’s Democratic opponent get elected later.

If you have any available time from now until Election Day on November 3rd, please help John Shahdanian and Mike McCarthy in the 39th. Unfortunately John and Mike’s campaign lacks the financial war chest of their Republican opponents, that’s why they especially need your help – phone banking, canvassing, and generally disseminating John and Mike’s message across the district. Please call Campaign Manager Jack Groarke at 201-913-2947 or jackbgroarke@gmail.com to learn more and get involved. Again, any time you have to give before November 3rd will take John and Mike a long way towards triumphing on November 3rd and shocking the 39th.