Rep. Ferguson announces he will not run in 2008 Cites desire to spend more time with family; may return to teaching BY CHRIS GAETANO Staff Writer U.S. Rep. Mike Ferguson, (R-7th District) who represents parts of Edison and Woodbridge as well as other areas, has declared that he will not be seeking re-election in 2008. Citing a desire to spend more time with his family, he announced his retirement from the House of Representatives in a statement released Nov. 19. "My wife, Maureen, and I have four children, the oldest of whom is 9 years old. Since first being elected in 2000, we have strived to balance my responsibilities to my family and to my constituents. … I know that now is the right time to step away from public life to focus more on family life while our children are still young," Ferguson said in the statement. Ferguson is the second House member to retire within the past few weeks, with Rep. Jim Saxton (R-3rd District) having recently announced that he, too, will not run for re-election, due to health reasons. Within Congress as a whole, Ferguson will be the 17th Republican to announce his retirement heading into 2008. Ferguson's departure has left local Republicans scrambling to find a replacement. Initial whisperings of a succession by state Sen. Tom Kean Jr., the Senate minority leader, were dispelled after he stated that he would prefer to concentrate on matters in Trenton rather than Washington, D.C. Meanwhile, a bevy of others including members of the General Assembly, mayors, former mayors and more, have announced interest in filling the soonto be-vacant seat. However, the only one who has officially announced that he will be running is Chris Venis, the former deputy mayor of Hillsborough, who heads up a public affairs and lobbying company called the Venis Group. Republican State Committee Chairman Tom Wilson said that he is confident that the Republicans will be victorious in 2008. "While Mike would have no doubt been re-elected next year, his retirement doesn't change the outcome of the election, only the Republican who will sit in that seat going forward. … Democrats can spin all they want, but the bottom line is that this is a Republican district and it will remain so," Wilson said. While no specific Republicans were mentioned in Wilson's statement, it seemed a foregone conclusion that whoever ends up winning the Republican nomination will go on to face Assemblywoman Linda Stender in the general election next year. During the 2006 elections, Ferguson had beaten Stender by a nose, pulling through by only a single percentage point. Joseph P. Leo, chairman of the Middlesex County Republican Party, said he regretted Ferguson's retirement but felt confident that no matter who eventually takes the congressman's place on the Republican ticket, the district will safely remain with the GOP. "We are very disappointed, because Ferguson represented the people of this district very, very well, but we have no concern about the direction this district will go. The direction will stay in Republican hands, we are very confident about that, especially if the Democrats intend to run a socialist against whoever the Republican candidate will be," Leo said. Ferguson said that he might return to teaching in his retirement, having taught high school and college previously. "As I explore other opportunities, I hope to include some time in the classroom to share with students my passion for public service and encourage them to serve others and their country," Ferguson said in his statement.