AllPolitics - Congressional Races - New Jersey District 8

Bill Martini (R)

District 8 (North--Paterson)

BORN: Feb. 10, 1947, Passaic

EDUCATION: Villanova U, B.A., 1968; Rutgers U, J.D., 1972

FAMILY: Wife, Gloria; two children

RELIGION: Roman Catholic

MILITARY: None

OCCUPATION: Lawyer

POLITICAL CAREER: Assistant U.S. Attorney, 1974-77; Clifton city council, 1990-94; Passaic County freeholder, 1992-94; U.S. House, 1994-

ADDRESS: 1064 Pompton Avenue, Cedar Grove 07009. Tel.: 201-890-7768

Locked in one of the closest races in New Jersey, Martini has credentials that may invite crossover votes. He is endorsed by the Sierra Club for his environmental record--he led an effort to prevent development of the 17,500-acre Sterling Forest--is pro-choice and voted to raise the minimum wage. Still, Martini won his freshman election by only 1%, and his popularity hasn't been tested against a challenger as well known as Pascrell.

THE ISSUES

Budget YES

Medicare YES

Defense YES

Abortion YES

Guns YES

Gays YES

Bosnia YES

NAFTA YES

Welfare YES

Medical Leave YES

(For an explanation of these issues, see the front of this guide.)

QUOTE OF NOTE: "We are at a crossroads nationally ... people will have to decide on going forward and making some changes, or maintaining a Big Government."

William Pascrell Jr. (D)

District 8

BORN: Jan. 27, 1937, Paterson

EDUCATION: Fordham U, B.A., 1959, M.A., 1961

FAMILY: Wife, Elsie; three children

RELIGION: Roman Catholic

MILITARY: Army, 1961-62; Army Reserve, 1962-67

OCCUPATION: City official; teacher

POLITICAL CAREER: New Jersey Assembly, 1988-; mayor of Paterson, 1990-

ADDRESS: 63 Quartz Lane, Paterson 07012. Tel.: 201-473-9696

The New Jersey Conference of Mayors named Pascrell its Mayor of the Year for 1996, a sign of his prominence and popularity--and reason for incumbent Bill Martini to worry. At a time when Congress is wrestling with a federal deficit, Pascrell boasts of balancing Paterson's debt-laden budget--though he raised taxes to do it--and of creating a prevention-oriented health-care plan and a publicly financed home-building program.

THE ISSUES

Budget NO

Medicare NO

Defense YES

Abortion NO

Guns YES

Gays YES

Bosnia NO

NAFTA YES

Welfare NO

Medical Leave YES

(For an explanation of these issues, see the front of this guide.)

QUOTE OF NOTE: "The Republicans talk about cutting $270 billion from Medicare to save it ... but what they don't tell you is that they need those Medicare cuts to pay for a tax break they want to give to wealthy Americans."

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