AP: Rothman: No Democratic Party Money For Primary

More bad news for the North Jersey congressman whose district is being merged: Rep. Steve Rothman says no money will flow from Washington to help fund his intra-party primary fight against another incumbent Democrat.Rothman says the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee told him it will sit out the primary campaign between him and Rep. Bill Pascrell.

Rothman tells The Associated Press he decided to challenge Pascrell after a rejiggered congressional map split up his district.

Democrats hoped the 15-year congressman would run against GOP Rep. Scott Garrett, one of the most conservative members of Congress, in a new Republican-leaning district.

The 59-year-old said he briefly considered retiring, but never seriously weighed a race against Garrett in a mostly alien district.