Jobs and Green Energy Are Herbert's Top Concerns in 2010 Election

Democratic challenger for New Jersey's 11th Congressional district Douglas Herbert told supporters in Basking Ridge Saturday morning that creating jobs and funding research into alternative sources of energy would be the legs of his platform for the 2010 election.

"We, as democrats are the caretakers of, not only the people, not only democracy, but our earth as well," said Herbert to a couple dozen supporters at the first of five house parties he was scheduled to attend that day.

Herbert is challenging eight-term incumbent Republican Rodney Frelinghuysen for the seat in Washington and said he was confident that his campaign would raise important questions to voters in November.

"What I want to do in the fall is to show that there is a real alternative [to Frelinghuysen] this year," he said. "I believe that we can really do something special."

Attendees appeared pleased with Herbert's rhetoric including David Ferdinand, Chairman of the Bernardsville Township democratic committee and owner of the home where the candidate made his speech.

Ferdinand compared Democrats in the 11th district to the Tea Party movement. "If you strip the meat away from [either movement] we're all looking for exactly the same things," Ferdinand said. "We're looking for hard working, competent leadership that is free of special interests."

Another attendee and former vice-chairman of the Bernardsville Democratic committee, Jonathan Cloud called the reaction to Herbert "very positive" and credited much of the renewed democratic presence in the district to President Barack Obama's campaign in 2008 which motivated lots of democrats to register to vote.

"Politics matter [to regular people] now because things aren't going so well," said Herbert regarding the renewed democratic base. "If elected, I will ask the same question of every bill that comes my way and that is 'how will this help the people of the 11th district?'"

Though pleased and encouraged by Herbert's candidacy Cloud would not go so far as to guarantee his election citing the significant base who still support Frelinghuysen and the power of name recognition in any election. "People in New Jersey are very aware of what is going on and deeply disgusted in what Bush did," he said. "Whether or not we [as Democrats] can capitalize on that remains to be seen."

For a photo gallery of the event, see "Photo Gallery: Douglas Herbert Summer Campaign Kick-Off."