A blind rabbi running for Congress in New Jersey trails the Republican incumbent by 15 points.
Dennis Shulman, a Democrat, was behind U.S. Rep. Scott Garrett, 49 percent to 34 percent, in the first public poll taken in the race. The survey of 400 likely voters was taken Sept. 17 and 18 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percent.
Shulman campaign manager Jeff Hauser said he was “satisfied” with the poll, considering his campaign’s ground game is just ramping up and its television ads are scheduled to hit the airwaves for the first time this week. Hauser added that an incumbent below the 50 percent mark at this stage in the campaign is a “huge sign of vulnerability.” A call to the Garrett campaign was not returned.
The poll showed the congressional race closely tracking with the presidential preference in the district, where McCain is leading Obama, 52 percent to 37 percent, according to the poll.
