Micco will challenge Pascrell in 2024

Buoyed by the weaker-than-usual showing of Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-Patterson) in last month’s election, U.S. Army veteran Vince Mica says he will seek the Republican congressional nomination in New Jersey’s 9th District in 2024 .

“I’m doing it. I’m already raising money, making the rounds, meeting with Republican leaders in the Ninth,” Micah told the New Jersey Globe. “I’m seriously on my way.”

The 51-year-old North Arlington resident has served two tours of duty in Iraq and continues to serve as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Army Reserve.

This would be Meek’s third bid for Congress: He challenged Rep. Steve Rothman (D-Englewood) in the old 9th District in 2006 and 2008, winning 28% and 31%, respectively, in the overwhelmingly Democratic district that gave 59% of the vote for John Kerry in 2004 and 61% for Barack Obama in 2008. After New Jersey lost its House seat in redistricting after the 2010 census, Pascrell defeated Rothman in the Democratic primary.

Billy Prempe, a US Air Force veteran, held Pascrell up to 55% this year; in 2020, before congressional redistricting made the 9th more competitive to shore up seats held by Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-Wyckoff) and Mickey Sherrill (D-Montclair), Pascrell beat Prempech by 34 points.

A former mayor of Paterson, it was Pascrell’s closest race since he unseated Rep. Bill Martini (R-Clifton) in 1996 with 51% of the vote.

“This is a winning district. It’s much more realistic than before,” Mika said. “I intend to win. The unanimous response was “thank god you’re running.”

Prempeh also told fans that he plans to run a third race against Pascrell.

Paskrell, who will be 87 years old at the next election, plans to run for Congress for a fifteenth term.

Vice President of Commercial Lending at Parke Bank, Micco has deep roots in Bergen County. He served as chairman of the Young Republican Party 20 years ago and was executive director of the Bergen County Republican Organization in 1997 and 1998.