- The Washington Times - Thursday, December 9, 2021

New Jersey businessman Phil Rizzo entered a crowded GOP primary in a major swing district in hopes of ousting vulnerable Democratic incumbent Rep. Mikie Sherrill.

Mr. Rizzo, 45, who ran in the Republican primary for governor earlier this year, said his motivation for entering the race is to limit government overreach.

“I think people are feeling the weight of government all over their lives, from their children’s education to their medical decisions to their businesses to their faith community,” Mr. Rizzo said in an interview. “I mean the government is literally standing on top of every area of our lives.”

Mr. Rizzo, a former pastor and real estate developer, calls himself a “political outsider” and an “America First”-style Republican in the same vein as former President Donald Trump.

“I’m a right wing conservative, unapologetically,” Mr. Rizzo said. “[Being] a pastor for 10 years, people know where I stand on the issues.”

But, Mr. Rizzo faces steep competition.

At least seven other Republicans are vying for Ms. Sherrill’s seat, including Morris County Commissioner Tayfun Selen and former Republican National Committee staffer Tom Toomey.

Rosemary Becchi, a tax policy attorney who ran against Ms. Sherrill in 2020, also signaled interest in a potential rematch.

Ms. Sherrill defeated Ms. Becchi 53% to 47%, with just over a 29,000-vote advantage.

Republicans have their eyes set on New Jersey after an unexpectedly close gubernatorial race between Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy and Republican Jack Ciattarelli in November. Mr. Murphy won by just roughly a 2% margin against Mr. Ciattarelli in what has been considered a reliably blue state

New Jersey’s suburban 11th district is considered to have an R+3 partisan voting index, according to the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. Ms. Sherrill is among the more than 60 vulnerable Democrats targeted by Republicans in 2022.

The incumbent is a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition. She is a former U.S. Navy pilot and federal prosecutor.

But Mr. Rizzo painted Ms. Sherrill as being a “far left” Democrat pretending to be moderate. The Republican pointed to her voting record, which he said suggests that she is in line with the more liberal wing of her party than she wants to be perceived. 

“She votes with the Biden-Pelosi agenda,” Mr. Rizzo said. “I think that as we get into our campaign, we will be picking off her voting record one vote at a time and show that she’s not good for America, and she’s certainly not good representation for New Jerseyans.”

In the 116th Congress, Ms. Sherrill voted 99% with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and 91% with New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a liberal firebrand, according to ProPublica.

Ms. Sherrill’s office did not immediately respond to a media inquiry from The Washington Times.

The New Jersey primary is June 7, 2022. The general election will be in November 2022.

• Mica Soellner can be reached at msoellner@washingtontimes.com.

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