Pro-Gun Vote Turns Off Key Donor To Rep. Frelinghuysen​

MORRISTOWN, NJ — Could 2018 be the year a Democrat is able to unseat U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen? One former Frelinghuysen supporter is putting his money on it.

Finn Wentworth, a deep-pocketed financial backer of New Jersey's longtime Republican congressman, said this week he will not be donating to Frelinghuysen's re-election campaign. Wentworth, a well-known Morristown real estate developer, gave two reasons to the Bergen County Record why he won't be supporting Frelinghuysen in 2018: The Congressman's vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act this past fall, and his vote in support of the recent Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act in New Jersey.

The GOP-backed Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017 is a proposed federal law that would allow people with concealed-carry permits in their home states to transport their guns into New Jersey and other states. As Patch reported, Frelinghuysen was one of three New Jersey congressional representatives to vote in favor of it.

"It was a difficult decision," said Wentworth told the newspaper. "There were several votes along the way that I felt Rodney was alienating the community that I’m a member of. Between the health care vote and this most recent safety vote, it was totally not in our community’s interest. Therefore, I can’t support him in this cycle."

The two votes were not in line with the "socially moderate and fiscally conservative" Republicans of Morris County, Wentworth said.

Wentworth is a major player in the New Jersey Republican party. He was co-chairman of Gov. Chris Christie's finance team in his 2016 presidential run and has long backed Republican representatives, Frelinghuysen in particular. He gave $17,685 to Frelinghuysen's campaign since 2004, according to FEC filings obtained by the Record. He was the former CEO of a holding company for the New York Yankees, New Jersey Nets and New Jersey Devils, and also helped form the YES Network. He's given $218,450 to Republican candidates and super PACs across the state since 2002, the newspaper found.

But a spokesman for Ferlinghuysen told Patch Wentworth has given to many Democrats in the past.

“Finn’s revelation that he may choose to donate to a Democrat really is nothing new," said Mike DuHaime, a longtime New Jersey Republican strategist who is working on Ferlinghuysen's re-election campaign. "Mr. Wentworth has been giving to Democrats for years now, including Phil Murphy, Bob Menendez, Cory Booker, the Democrat State Committee and Essex County Assemblyman Jack McKeon as well a number of local Democrats.”

“Rodney has dedicated his life to fighting for America and Morris County, from in Vietnam to the halls of Congress, and I think most voters are not going to be swayed by one vote but will look at his lifetime of public service," he added.

Frelinghuysen has represented New Jersey's 11th Congressional District for 22 years. His seat is up for re-election in November 2018. So far, he is facing a growing threat from Democrat Mikie Sherrill, a Montclair woman who is a former Navy helicopter pilot and former federal prosecutor.

Wentworth said he will be giving his support to Sherrill, who is running on an anti-Trump platform. She has been endorsed by Gabrielle Giffords' gun control super PAC, which Wentworth supports.

Wentworth also told the Record several of Frelinghuysen's longtime supporters would not be donating to him because of his pro-gun votes, but he did not give names.

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Photo: frelinghuysen.house.gov