Nick De Gregorio was 16-years-old when terrorists slammed commercial jets into the World Trade Center. The North Jersey teen decided then and there that he would serve his country in the military.

IIONA VIRGIN via Unsplash
IIONA VIRGIN via Unsplash
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Joining the U.S. Marine Corps, Nick was deployed four times over the course of 9 years. This year, he's hoping for a fifth deployment, not as a Marine, but as a newly elected U.S. congressman. Nick is running for Congress in North Jersey's 5th District, which covers the top portion of New Jersey, stretching through Sussex, Passaic, and Bergen counties.

I met Nick a couple of weeks ago and was impressed. He's got the courage, strength, and intelligence to properly represent the district and fight for the things concerning so many NJ residents. Here's an excerpt from his letter on the campaign website describing his latest mission:

But things have changed here at home while I was away at war—and not for the better. My wife Emily and I came back to give our two children, Siena and Luca, the tight-knit community upbringing we were lucky enough to have when we were kids here in northern New Jersey. We are starting to realize firsthand how impossible that has become.

Taxes are out of control. Businesses and jobs are fleeing, taking our neighbors with them. Our classrooms—once safe places for our children to learn to think for themselves—are now devolving into testing grounds for radical political ideology."

Over the past few months, I've drawn attention to those candidates who best represent the fight we're undertaking on behalf of parents, first responders, teachers, small business owners, and average working and middle-class families.

I'm outspoken about the people that line up with the values I believe we need in order to restore "liberty and prosperity" to the Garden State. Here are some of the candidates I've introduced you to over the past few months:

Ian Smith

Running for Congress in NJ's 3rd District, which includes towns in Burlington, Mercer, and Monmouth counties

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Phil Rizzo

Running for Congress in NJ's 7th District, which includes Hunterdon, Warren, and towns in Somerset and Morris counties

Bill Spadea and Phil Rizzo
Bill Spadea and Phil Rizzo
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Rik Mehta

Running for Congress in NJ's 6th District ,which includes towns in Monmouth and Middlesex counties

(Photo: Rik Mehta)
(Photo: Rik Mehta)
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Mike Crispi

Running for Congress in NJ's 4th District, which covers Monmouth and Ocean counties

Mike Crispi and Roger Stone (Mike Crispi on Facebook)
Mike Crispi and Roger Stone (Mike Crispi on Facebook)
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Each of these candidates is running on common-sense policies to get the Garden State back on track.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill's own. Bill Spadea is on the air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., talkin’ Jersey, taking your calls at 1-800-283-1015.

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