Shmuley Boteach To Run For Congress

Rabbi Shmuley Boteach has sent a letter declaring his intent to run for Congress in New Jersey's newly formed 9th District.

Boteach sent the letter of intent to the offices of the Bergen County Republican Organization by the Jan. 31 deadline. But he has not decided definitively to run, the New Jersey Jewish Standard reported.

He would face the winner of the Democratic primary between U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman and U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell.  Two other potential Republican candidates have also submitted letters of intent, according to the PolitickerNJ website.

Boteach told the Jewish Standard that one of the factors that will go into his decision of whether to run will be how much money he can raise for the race. He said he will make up his mind in the next two months.

He told the newspaper that he wants to "bring Jewish values into the political discourse."

Boteach has been working, unsuccessfully so far, to get the city of Englewood, N.J. to rezone his house as a synagogue.

He is a syndicated columnist and has written several books. The Jewish Standard said that if he becomes the declared candidate that it would discontinue his column until after the race.