Constituents Tell Gottheimer They Want Green New Deal

GLEN ROCK, NJ —Constituents held a rally and met with staff at Rep. Josh Gottheimer's office expressing their support of the Green New Deal and Medicare For All.

The 19 people attended the demonstration in response to a recent comment he made alleging that his constituents do not ask him about the programs.

"None of those things are going anywhere," Gottheimer, a Democrat representing New Jersey's 5th Congressional District, told NJ.com. "I'm into ideas that can actually get signed into law."

Rallying outside of Gottheimer's office, members of the crowd held up signs and shouted, "Can you hear us now?"

"We have all called Representative Gottheimer, and we have written to Representative Gottheimer in support of both of these initiatives," said Becca Coll, a member of the grassroots group Glen Rock After The March. "Many of us did so multiple times before the press reported that Mr. Gottheimer never hears from us about these issues, so if he said nobody asks him about these issues, that is just not accurate," she added.

Glen Rock Council member Arati Kreibich said she wants Gottheimer, a second-term representative, to make climate change a priority in Congress.

Sarah Hutchins, a 17-year-old Glen Rock student said, Gottheimer has a chance to "change the fate of the earth."

"Students are the new wave of voters," said Hutchins. "By supporting this Green New Deal, Mr. Gottheimer, you would be telling students like me that our future matters."

Gottheimer did not appear at the rally. His staff invited the crowd inside to meet with them. Gottheimer has said during his campaign and since being elected to office that he represents "Jersey values."

"Addressing the health care crisis and climate change are critically important to voters in this district," Kreibich said. "Representative Gottheimer cares about Jersey values — we are here to say that providing affordable access to health care and addressing climate change are Jersey values."

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com