Former Historical Society President To Challenge Congressman Lance in Primary

Westfield resident Bruce Baker announced Monday that he plans to challenge U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance (R-Hunterdon County) in June's Republican congressional primary.

Baker, a small business owner and former president of the Westfield Historical Society, said in a prepared statement that he is challenging the one term congressman based on Lance's working in state government since the 1980s. Lance served 17 years as a state assemblyman and senator and was an aide to former Gov. Thomas Kean, before headed to Congress in 2008.

"Mr. Lance, a typical career politician from a politically connected family, epitomizes every measure of fear Thomas Jefferson held for the survival of our Republic," Baker said in the statement.  "As a public employee for most of his adult life, Mr. Lance has been sheltered from the realities of having to turn a business profit or meet a payroll."

Baker also stated opposition to Lance's vote in favor of the Cap & Trade climate change bill last spring. The challenger said he opposes the impact of the bill, saying it will hike taxes and harm small businesses.

Baker, a seventh generation Westfield resident, outlined a 10 point platform which takes a conservative and libertarian approach. In his platform, Baker said he will not take corporate or union campaign contributions, oppose taxes and regulations on business, eliminate the estate tax, lower the capital gains tax and reallocate the income tax, propose elimination of the Energy Department and the Education Department, sponsor legislation to prohibit the government from owning part of a private business, propose constitutional amendments for congressional term limits, limiting campaign contributions to individuals without limit and applying all laws to Congress and propose a law stating that all future congressional legislation needs to cite the Constitution in the bill.

Baker has coached in the soccer and baseball leagues in town, is a current historical society trustee, has been a board member of the Jaycees, is a charter member of the Optimist Club and is a member of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Lance is due to announce his candidacy for a second term at 1:15 p.m. today at the train station. The Westfield announcement follows announcements this morning in other parts of the seventh district. The district contains parts of Union, Somerset, Middlesex and Hunterdon Counties. Lance defeated Assemblywoman Linda Stender (D-Fanwood) in 2008 to succeed former Rep. Mike Ferguson (R-New Providence).

Baker is the second Republican to announce a primary challenge to the one term congressman. David Larsen, a gentleman farmer and small business owner from Somerset County, has announced a challenge focusing on a conservative and libertarian platform. Ed Potosnak, a former aide to U.S. Rep. Michael Honda (D-Cal.) and former chemistry teacher in Bridgewater, is the only announced Democratic candidate. Fanwood Mayor Colleen Mahr and businessman Zenon Christodolou have been mentioned as potential Democratic candidates.