I know that many of you have already been following my campaign, but allow me to formally introduce myself to the DailyKos community. My name is John Adler, and I am proud to be running for Congress in New Jersey's 3rd Congressional District. I have served as the State Senator from the 6th Legislative District for the last 16 years, where I was just reelected to a sixth term this week.
I've lived in South Jersey most of my life – the most notable exception being the years I spent at Harvard earning my bachelor's and law degrees. After graduating law school, my wife, Shelley, and I moved to Cherry Hill, where we have raised our four sons. The only downside of living in Cherry Hill has been that a Republican has represented us in Congress the entire time. This year we're going to change that.
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South Jersey is becoming bluer by the day. Last Tuesday, South Jersey voters chose Democratic Senators in the 1st and 2nd Legislative District for the first time in more than a generation. There is a sense among Democrats all across New Jersey that next November that trend will continue with the 3rd Congressional District.
With Congressman Saxton's announcement last week that he will not seek reelection, we have our best chance in decades to take this seat.
By no means will this be an easy race, but it is one that we will win. We will win it by running a strong campaign that will make people proud. We will talk about the issues that matter most to the voters – getting our men and women out of Iraq and back to their families at home, ensuring every child has access to health care, addressing the mounting concerns about climate change, restoring fiscal accountability in Washington and strengthening New Jersey's educational infrastructure. I believe that government plays a limited, but vital role in our society – to protect our citizens and provide the opportunity to succeed.
We will also win this election with the help of grassroots and netroots activists both in New Jersey and across the nation. Already, the outpouring of support from our friends at BlueJersey has been impressive and I hope that our campaign can form just as strong a relationship with the members of the DailyKos community. If you haven't already, please visit our website – www.AdlerforChange.com - to learn more about myself and the district, sign up for e-mail updates and volunteer opportunities, or donate to the campaign via ActBlue.
As most of you know, money, especially early on in a campaign, can play an important role in defining how the media and the public view a campaign. Congressman Saxton's retirement has placed the 3rd District among the Democrats' best chances of picking up a Republican seat. Both Stuart Rothenberg and the Cook Report are now calling this race a "toss-up." With your help and contributions, we can show a level of financial support for my campaign that will make Republicans think twice before entering this race.
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On a personal note, I excited to embark on this journey. From an early age, my parents taught me the importance of basic American values – hard work, truth, faith, patriotism and loyalty. These are the same values I try to instill in my children and that I look forward to bringing to Washington every day as a member of Congress. Join me in creating a Congress that works to build an American in which all people have a chance to achieve their dreams. My door is always open to your suggestions.