Pallone Faces Primary Challenge From Two Far-Left Progressives

MATAWAN, NJ — It's not just Biden vs. Trump this year, as there are many "downstream" local races to watch in 2020 as well:

Central New Jersey's longtime congressman, Frank Pallone, Jr., a Democrat, will seek to hold onto his seat. He is facing two Democratic challengers in the upcoming primary, pushed back to July 7.

Pallone represents New Jersey's sixth congressional district, which stretches from Woodbridge down to Asbury Park, and includes Bayshore towns like Matawan and Hazlet. Pallone has represented this area in Congress since 1993 and is considered one of New Jersey's leading Democrat voices. He is a regular critic of President Trump.

There are no Republicans running against Pallone in 2020. But he does face a challenge from within his own party: The two Democrats running against him this year are Russell "Russ" Cirincione and Amani Al-Khatahtbeh. Both are far left progressives running in the vein of Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Cirincione describes himself as a "New Deal Democrat," who supports Universal Basic Income ($1,000 a month per adult and $500 per child), the Green New Deal and universal healthcare, in the form of Medicare for All, according to his campaign website.

He is a government housing litigation attorney and 2013 Seton Hall Law School grad.

Al-Khatahtbeh, 27, is a Rutgers grad and founder and editor-in-chief of MuslimGirl.com, a popular news and opinion site about Muslim womanhood in the U.S. She is also a supporter of Medicare for All, student loan forgiveness and says she wants to continue Sanders' movement. Al-Khatahtbeh is also a supporter of the Green New Deal; while at Rutgers, she was part of a student-led movement to push the university to divest from fossil fuels.

She has said she counts Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar and New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as among her role models.

The 2020 primary election has been postponed from June 2 to July 7, in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

"NJ 6" stretches from Carteret and Woodbridge into Edison, Metuchen, New Brunswick and down to Asbury Park. It hugs the Bayshore coastline, including towns such as Aberdeen, Matawan, Hazlet, part of Middletown, Atlantic Highlands and Highlands, Sea Bright and West Long Branch. Marlboro Township is also in the district.

Pallone was challenged in 2018 for the Congress seat by Rich Pezzullo, a proudly-Trump supporting Republican who hoped to identify with fellow Trump-supporters in the area.

Like many before him, Pezzullo was unsuccessful in his attempt to topple Pallone.