Former Passaic Co. Prosecutor To Run For Mikie Sherrill's Seat

NORTH JERSEY — Election season never truly ends, and a crowded Republican field is taking shape with efforts to take Rep. Mikie Sherrill's seat in New Jersey's Congressional District. The field grew one candidate larger, with former Passaic County prosecutor Paul DeGroot declaring his candidacy.

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DeGroot served as a prosecutor for about 25 years, ultimately getting promoted to chief prosecutor of the homicide, narcotics and internal affairs corruption units.

The attorney criticized Sherrill, saying she should have insisted on a full state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap repeal in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which President Joe Biden signed into law Nov. 15. In 2017, tax-code reforms passed by President Donald Trump capped the SALT deduction at $10,000.

Sherrill, who has represented the 11th District since 2019, has made it a major focal point in her platform to get the SALT deduction cap repealed. The House-passed Build Back Better bill would allow for up to $80,000 in SALT write-offs through 2026.

“New Jersey residents are among the highest taxed in the nation,” DeGroot said. “Even if democrats act like they permanently restored tax cuts in the Build Back Better legislations, the fine print reveals they merely raised the deduction cap for a few years before it goes right back to where it is now."

DeGroot also said he supported breaking up "predatory" big-tech companies.

"Facebook and Google exert state-like monopoly power over America’s minds, markets and wallets,” he said. “The scale on which they operate simply cannot exist in a free society."

Seven other Republicans have announced candidacies for NJ-11 in 2022, according to Ballotpedia. Candidates include Morris County Commissioner Tayfun Selen, screenwriter Hillery Brotschol and former Republican National Committee staffer Tom Toomey.

Sherrill flipped the district in 2018, after Republicans held the seat for 34 years. But the GOP showed signs of resurgence in the last election cycle, picking up six seats in the Assembly and one in the Senate. Democrats will still maintain control of the Assembly, Senate and governorship.

The 11th District is centered in Morris County and also includes portions of Essex, Passaic and Sussex Counties.