| John Adler | |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2009 |
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| Preceded by | Jim Saxton |
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| In office January 1992 – January 3, 2009 |
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| Born | August 23, 1959 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Shelley Levitan Adler |
| Residence | Cherry Hill Township, New Jersey |
| Alma mater | Harvard College, Harvard Law School |
| Profession | Attorney |
| Religion | Jewish |
| Website | http://adler.house.gov/ |
John Herbert Adler (born August 23, 1959) is the Congressman for New Jersey's 3rd congressional district. The district stretches from the suburbs of Philadelphia to Ocean County.
A member of the Democratic Party, he was a member of the New Jersey State Senate from 1992 to 2009, where he represented the 6th Legislative District.
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Personal life
Adler received a A.B. from Harvard College in Government, and earned a J.D. from Harvard Law School.[1] He was born in Philadelphia, and currently resides in Cherry Hill Township.[2] He is an alumnus of Haddonfield Memorial High School in Haddonfield, NJ.
He currently resides in Cherry Hill with his four sons, Jeffrey, Alexander, Andrew , and Oliver, as well as his wife, Shelley. He converted to Judaism in 1985, having been raised an Episcopalian.[3]
Political Experience
From 1988 until 1989, Adler served on the Cherry Hill Township Council.
Adler was elected in 1991 to the New Jersey State Senate, where he served from 1992 until his inauguration into the U.S. House of Representatives in 2009. While in the New Jersey State Senate, Adler served on the Judiciary Committee (as Chair) and the Environment Committee. He served on the New Jersey Israel Commission since 1995, and on the New Jersey Intergovernmental Relations Commission from 1994-2002.[1]
Adler was Democratic Conference Chair from 2002-03 and Assistant Minority Leader from 1994-2001.[1]
On July 28, 2006, Senator Adler was appointed Co-Chairman of the Joint Legislative Committee on Public School Funding Reform along with Assemblyman Herb Conaway.
1990 Congressional Run
In 1990, Adler, then a former Cherry Hill Councilman, challenged incumbent Jim Saxton for his seat in New Jersey's 13th congressional district.
Adler tried to paint Saxton as a "fat cat incumbent," while Saxton fired back that Adler was another Democrat who would follow the tax-and-spend record of Trenton's unpopular Governor Jim Florio when he got down to Washington.[4].
Adler was defeated by Saxton by a margin of 60% to 40%.[5]
2004 Presidential Election
On October 7, 2003, along with Rep. Bill Pascrell of New Jersey's 8th Congressional District, Sen. Adler formally endorsed Senator John Kerry for President and became the Co-Chairman of John Kerry's campaign in the Garden State. Shortly afterwards on December 19, 2003, Governor of New Jersey Jim McGreevey and most of the New Jersey Democratic Party came out in support of Former Governor of Vermont Howard Dean for President. Because of this endorsement for Kerry, and Kerry's decisive win in the Democratic Primary, Senator Adler was rumored as the frontrunner for U.S. Attorney for New Jersey if the Senator from Massachusetts had won the 2004 presidential election.
2008 Congressional Run
On September 20, 2007, Senator Adler announced that he planned to challenge Saxton in New Jersey's 3rd congressional district (which had been renumbered from the 13th after the 1990 Census) for a second time.[6] On November 9, 2007, Saxton announced that he would not seek reelection in 2008, citing prostate cancer, leaving the seat open in the upcoming congressional elections.[7] Senator Adler was endorsed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and its Chairman Rep. Chris Van Hollen in late November. He was unopposed in the Democratic primary, and faced Republican Medford Mayor, Lockheed Martin executive, and Gulf War veteran Chris Myers.[8]
During the 2008 election cycle, Adler was one of the first elected officials in New Jersey to endorse Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination in a state where the party establishment supported Hillary Clinton.
Adler held a financial advantage over his opponent through all of the race, holding a 10-1 or 5-1 funding edge over Myers for a majority of the campaign.[9] Adler had raised the most money in the country of any non-incumbent congressional candidate.[10][11]
Adler received a number of endorsements for the election, including those from the Teamsters, Fraternal Order of Police, New Jersey Environmental Federation, The Sierra Club, the Humane Society Legislative Fund, The National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Health Care, and the Recreational Fishing Alliance.[12][13][14]
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee committed $1.7 million in ad buys to Adler's campaign [15] In comparison, the NRCC committed $84,200 in coordinated ad buys with the Myers campaign, in addition to help the NRCC gave in financing an internal poll in September with the Myers campaign.[16].
Myers also benefited from two ad buys by the 501(c)(4) organization Freedom's Watch, which attacked John Adler on his tax record, his legislative history, and contributions he received from subprime mortgage companies.[17][18].
Adler won a majority of newspaper endorsements. He was endorsed by the Press of Atlantic City, [19], the Philadelphia Inquirer [20], the New York Times[21], The Burlington County Times [22], and the Courier-Post [23].
Myers did, however, receive the endorsement of the Asbury Park Press [24].
The 3rd district race was the last one to be called in New Jersey on Election Night 2008. Adler ultimately defeated Myers with 51.7% of the vote to Myers' 48.3% [25]. He was sworn into his position as the Congressman from the 3rd district of New Jersey in the United States House of Representatives in early January 2009. He is the first Democrat to win that seat in 124 years.
Service in the U.S. House of Representatives
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Committee assignments
Legislation
New Jersey Senate
- Adler was co-sponsor of the New Jersey Smoke-Free Air Act, enacted in 2006, which banned smoking in almost all public places.[26] Adler is one of three co-sponsors of a Senate bill submitted in 2008 that would extend the smoking ban to casinos and simulcasting facilities, which had been exempted in the earlier version of the ban.[27]
- Adler co-sponsored legislation that strips government pensions from public employees who are convicted of or plead guilty to corruption charges.[28].
- Adler co-sponsored a bill that would expand voting rights for military personnel and New Jersey citizens overseas to include state and local elections. The bill was signed into law on August 12, 2008 by Governor Corzine.[29]
U.S. House of Representatives
- In January 2009, Adler announced his first bill as a U.S. Representative: the Safeguarding America's Seniors and Veterans Act. The bill, if passed, would direct the Secretary of the Treasury to give a one-time tax rebate of $500 to all seniors and veterans who are eligible for Social Security, railroad retirement benefits, or veterans' disability benefits. Fugitives, prisoners, foreigners, and illegal aliens would all be excluded from the payments.[30] The bill was designed to provide non-working seniors and veterans with the same $500 tax credit that all working Americans received through the "Making Work Pay" tax credit in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.[31]
- In November 2009, Adler voted against US House's Health Care Bill.[32]
2010 Congressional Campaign
Former Tabernacle Committeeman Justin Murphy has announced he will seek this seat in 2010.[33]. Former Philadelphia Eagles star Jon Runyan, a Mount Laurel resident, is also supposed to be interested in running.[34] Adler is expected to run for re-election, but Republicans will be heavily targeting this seat in 2010.[35].
Controversies
- In 2006, Adler voted in favor of a New Jersey needle exchange program that would allow drug addicts to exchange their used needles for new ones.[36]
- In 2007, Adler cosponsored a bill in the New Jersey State Senate that would abolish the teaching of Veteran's Day in New Jersey classrooms. This action prompted an uproar among veteran groups such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars and spawned quite a bit of media backlash.[37][38][39]
- In September 2008, Adler was criticized for holding stock in Dow Chemical, a primary polluter of Lake Huron. This is seen as hypocritical, as Adler calls himself a champion of the environment.[40].
- In September 2008, it was revealed that Adler held stock in Petro China, a company linked to the actions of genocide in Darfur, Sudan. Adler voted to divest New Jersey state funds from Sudanese interests, but did not remove his own finances from Petro China - thus prompting his opponent to bring the issue into public [40]. Adler had, in fact, divested from the company in August 2008, before the subject was even brought up by Myers.[41][citation needed]
References
- ^ a b c Senator Adler's legislative web page, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed February 24, 2008.
- ^ Senator John H. Adler, Project Vote Smart. Accessed September 21, 2007.
- ^ http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1039304.html
- ^ [1]
- ^ King, Wayne. " The 1990 Elections: New Jersey - Congressional Races; Voters Angry, but Not at Incumbents", The New York Times, November 7, 1990. Accessed August 11, 2008.
- ^ Hester Jr., Tom (Associated Press). "State Sen. Adler to challenge Saxton for Congress", Newsday, September 20, 2007. Accessed September 21, 2007.
- ^ Hernandez, Raymond. "Citing Health, Lawmaker Announces Plan to Retire", The New York Times, November 10, 2007. Accessed December 1, 2007. "Representative Jim Saxton of New Jersey, a Republican who has served in Congress since 1984, said Friday that he would not seek re-election next year because he has prostate cancer."
- ^ About Chris, Chris Myers (New Jersey). Accessed August 8, 2008.
- ^ Smith, Bridget. "Adler has big edge over Myers in raising campaign funds", Courier-Post, August 3, 2008. Accessed August 6, 2008.
- ^ "Winners and Losers", PolitickerNJ.com, July 18, 2008. Accessed August 6, 2008. "Democrat John Adler is a clear winner: he's raised $1.9 million for his third district race -- that's more than any non-incumbent candidate nationally."
- ^ 2008 Race: New Jersey District 03 - Total Raised and Spent, Center for Responsive Politics. Accessed August 6, 2008.
- ^ [2]
- ^ “Humane Society Legislative Fund Announces Endorsements”, Humane Society” May 22, 2008. Accessed October 13, 2008.
- ^ “National Committee Endorsement” PolitickernNJ October 22. 2008. Accessed October 22, 2008
- ^ [3]
- ^ [4]
- ^ [5]
- ^ [6]
- ^ “3rd Congressional District: Elect Adler”, “Press of Atlantic City” October 19, 2008. Accessed October 19, 2008.
- ^ “Editorial: N.J. Districts: House”, “Trading Markets” October 20, 2008. Accessed October 20, 2008.
- ^ “Editorial-For the House”, “New York Times” October 25, 2008. Accessed October 25, 2008,
- ^ [http://www.adlerforcongress.com/ “Burlington County Times Endorsement” Burlington County Times October 26, 2008. Accessed October 27, 2008.
- ^ “In 3rd District, Adler is the Choice”, “Courier Post” ]” October 22, 2008. Accessed October 22, 2008.
- ^ [7]
- ^ [8]
- ^ Gurney, Kaitlin. "N.J. ban on indoor smoking passes: The Assembly sent the bill, with an exemption for casino floors, to Gov. Codey. He is expected to sign it Sunday.", The Philadelphia Inquirer, January 10, 2006. Accessed August 7, 2008.
- ^ 213th Legislature: S236, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed August 8, 2008.
- ^ Della Santi, Angela via the Associated Press. "Convicted N.J. pols stand to lose hefty pensions", Burlington County Times, August 12, 2007. Accessed August 7, 2008. "'This is the cornerstone of the Legislature's anti-corruption legislation, which aims to make clear to prospective wrongdoers that there will be serious penalties for public corruption,' said Sen. John Adler, who co-sponsored the measure."
- ^ Staff. "Governor Signs Legislation Allowing Deployed Troops to Vote in State Races", Cape May County Herald, August 13, 2008. Accessed August 15, 2008.
- ^ http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.746:
- ^ http://adler.house.gov/2009/01/adler-announces-first-bill-safeguarding-americas-seniors-and-veterans-act.shtml
- ^ http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll887.xml
- ^ [9]
- ^ http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/news_details/article/92/2009/november/11/former-eagles-lineman-considering-congressional-campaign.html
- ^ [10]
- ^ [11] Search Bill Number S494, Session 2006-2007; Click "Roll Call" on 3rd Final Passage.
- ^ [12]
- ^ [13]
- ^ [14]
- ^ a b [15]
- ^ http://pfds.opensecrets.org/N00000812_2008.pdf
External links
- Congressman John Adler official U.S. House website
- John Adler for Congress official campaign website
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
- Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
- Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
- Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
- Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
- Staff salaries, trips and personal finance at LegiStorm.com
- Congressional profile at GovTrack.us
- Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
- Senator John Adler at the New Jersey Legislature
- Profile at the New Jersey Senate Democrats
- New Jersey Legislature financial disclosure forms
- John Adler at the Open Directory Project
| United States House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Jim Saxton |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey's 3rd congressional district 2009 – present |
Incumbent |
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