Frelinghuysen Seat Now Considered a Toss Up

For 22 years, New Jersey Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen has occupied a safe Republican seat. Until Donald Trump was elected president. Since then, the Morris County representative has been facing a growing movement to unseat him in 2018.

Now,  the Cook Political Report has downgraded his re-election chances to a toss up. On Thursday, he voted against the Republican tax overhaul, which is very unpopular in New Jersey because it eliminates the tax deduction for state and local taxes. Frelinghuysen highlighted his no vote in an email to constituents, capitalizing the word "no" and using an exclamation point. 

But Elizabeth Juviler of N.J. 11th for Change, a group of constituents who oppose the congressman, says his vote against the tax overhaul won't help him.  She cites anonymous reports that Frelinghuysen was given permission to vote no from Republican house leaders, and she is frustrated  that he did nothing to speak out against the bill.

"We begged and pleaded for an understanding of where he was," Juviler said. "And then he said nothing, his staff said nothing, he made no statements and there was no indication that he fought against it in any way. So it's just not enough to vote no on something when you've been given permission because it will pass anyway."

Four Democrats have declared they will run against Frelinghuysen in 2018. 

NJ 11th for Change has some 75-hundred members in the district who want to oppose the Trump Administration.