Posted on 04/11/2006 3:00:47 PM PDT by new yorker 77
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - Saying he was angered by calls to pull American forces out of Iraq, an Iraq war veteran who says the U.S. should stay the course in the Middle East announced Tuesday he was running for Congress in a northern New Jersey district currently represented by a strong opponent of the war.
Vince Micco, 34, a reservist who served in Iraq for a year, will face five-time Democratic incumbent Steve Rothman, 53, in the 9th Congressional District in Bergen, Passaic and Hudson counties.
"I'm an Iraq war veteran, and it really bothers me the way the war is being portrayed by the president's critics," said Micco, a former Army sergeant who was a counterintelligence specialist in Iraq and an Army reservist for nine years.
"I am running because the American people can and should be proud of what we're accomplishing in Iraq, and throughout the Middle East," Micco said.
Micco, who has been active in Bergen County Republican politics for years and served two terms as the head of the Bergen County Young Republicans, said he has the endorsement of the county Republican organization.
The Republican candidate, who works as a mortgage banker and lives in Rutherford, said he decided to run after Rothman called for a rapid pullout of U.S. troops from Iraq, saying that the war had hurt the military, the war on terrorism and the economy.
Rothman, who voted in favor of the Iraq invasion three years ago, has said he was acting on incorrect information from the Bush White House that Saddam Hussein posed a threat and he now regrets the vote.
"To just cut and run like some people in Congress are advocating is a disservice to the thousands of military people that I served with," Micco said.
Rothman, speaking from Washington D.C., said while he respects Micco for serving his country, he disagrees with the Republican candidate about the war.
"He supports President Bush's policy of staying the course for a number of additional years in Iraq, exposing our servicemen and women to death and grievous injury and further deepening our financial problems here at home," Rothman said.
Micco will face an uphill battle to win the seat, said Rider University political analyst, David Rebovich.
He said Micco's background could be a plus to voters in the district which was greatly impacted by 9/11 and where national security issues and the war on terrorism are important. But his support for President Bush wouldn't play well in a state where people went strongly Democratic in the last presidential election, Rebovich said.
"Is he a cheerleader for the Bush White House or does he have some alternatives to the situation in Iraq?" Rebovich said.
Finances could also pose a problem, he said.
In order to launch a competitive campaign, Micco, who was holding his first fundraiser Tuesday night, would have to air television ads in the expensive New York media market, said Rebovich.
ping
It'll be nice to have a NCO type up there gettin it done!
I'm there! Sending this guy some money!
Ping to help a N.J. Republican Iraq Vet in his campaign for Congress.
Hope y'all will ping some folks about this. Let's see what we can do to help!
Same here. Thanks! :)
See post #10
http://politics.nexcess.net/pressrelease/
He is getting a lot of converage on this website
thanks for the ping a ling, I've met him a few times when he was the campaign manager for Paul DiGaetao for Governor in the last NJ primary. He's going to be a formidable candidate. I wish him all the best.
Now I'm wondering if he will support conservative John Ginty or RINO Thomas H. Kean, Jr., for US Senator.
Thanks for the info.
He'll sort of be supporting all the guys fighting for us that are being treated terribly by our MSM/representatives (Dem mostly). Worth monetary support.
I agree. Hope he gets enough support to mount a strong campaign. Pray for him.
Thought you might want to check this out.
ping
Vince is a great guy. He makes a stark contrast with the rat's band of frauds.
Sounds like it from what I've been able to read about him. Hope he gets lots of support.
I left a message on his cellphone he called me back, very pleasant the website will be up in a few days but I did get his address for now P.O Box374 Rutherford,N.J 07070 let's help him and elect our own Iraqi war veteran a man of character and conviction who will not stab our president and military in the back; also there is a great guy in W.V H.Lewis that the national GOP has ignored totally
Thank you for posting information about Vince Micco. He spoke at a Conservative Leadership Breakfast yesterday. He is very focused and intelligent. He needs the support of the Grassroots...ditto for John Ginty. New Jersey GOP needs a shake up. From what I see these are two people that can lead the charge!
I think it is time to dump the national GOP. Here in California, we have a one party state known as the Democrat and aka Republican party. I don't know why they just don't converge together and call themselves for what they truly are, the elistist party......
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