The Inaugural Take Back the 5th Town Hall was an unqualified success (Read about it in this week’s edition of the Northern Valley Suburbanite)! The Retire Garrett Campaign and the Take the 5th PAC would like to thank everyone who participated, whether as an audience member or as a speaker.
 
Nearly 40 people from across the 5th District, from as far away as Sussex, Warren, and Passaic Counties, came to the Demarest Borough Hall on Sunday, March 1st to get involved in the process of unseating Congressman Scott Garrett and electing a progressive, open-minded individual to the United States House of Representatives (and that was with an impending snow storm). Some of the 5th District’s leading political figures addressed the audience, including (More after the break):

-Demarest Mayor and Freeholder Jim Carroll
 Spoke about importance of Democratic Party unity and the large strides the party has taken in recent years.
-Bergen County Freeholder Vernon Walton
 Spoke about horrendous impact of Congressman Garrett’s anti-diversity voting record.
-Bergen County Sheriff Leo McGuire
 Discussed Congressman Garrett’s evasion of support for police and security resources.
-Former State Department/UN Delegation Official & 5th District Democratic candidate Paul Aronsohn
 Stressed importance of riding top-of-the-ticket coattails, door to door campaigning and solid organizing in defeating Congressman Garrett.
-Ogdensburg Mayor Jim Sekelsky
 Discussed importance of relating to voters and respecting their diverse attitudes.
-Bergen Grassroots Board Member Paul Eisenman
 Highlighted importance of raising money in order to publicize the campaign’s message across entire district.
-Closter Democratic Chair Jack Kelly
 Discussed importance of perseverance in triumphing over Congressman Garrett in 2010.
-Bergen County Freeholder Julie O’ Brien
 Brought up using Congressman Garrett’s persistent extremism as a strategy to defeat him.
 
Concluding the town hall was an interactive discussion on campaign strategy and 5th District politics; although the discussion became heated at times, everyone departed the town hall with a shared sense of mission – victory in 2010.
 
We are in the midst of planning a bigger and better town hall in the coming months. In the meantime we will continue working towards unseating Scott Garrett – through our Retire Garrett blog and public events such as this town hall.

Please stay involved and help us elect a Congressman who will represent, not defy, 5th District residents!
 
-Michael, Adam, George, and Matt