Douglas Forrester wants to be the Republican to challenge Democratic incumbent Sen. Robert Torricelli.
By: Jennifer Potash
WEST WINDSOR Candidates running for the U.S. Senate often try to make a big splash when entering the race.
Former West Windsor Mayor Douglas Forrester, who would like to be the Republican to challenge Democratic incumbent Sen. Robert Torricelli, has a different view.
"I am interested in being benignly provocative," he said during a recent interview.
Mr. Forrester, 49, who has served as president of BeneCard Services, a benefits-management firm in Lawrence, since 1990, announced his candidacy in the Republican primary last month.
He also ran radio ads in the last week of January, a somewhat unusual move for a June primary.
"I am an unorthodox guy despite my appearance," said Mr. Forrester. "And I need to start early."
He is not daunted by a growing Republican primary field that now has five candidates, including Essex County Executive James Treffinger, state Sens. Diane Allen (R-Edgewater Park) and John Matheussen (R-Washington Township in Gloucester County) and Assemblyman Guy Gregg (R-Washington Township in Morris County). Mercer County Executive Robert Prunetti is said to be considering entry in the race as well.
According to published reports, Independent Counsel Robert W. Ray, who succeeded Kenneth Starr as the Whitewater special prosecutor, is exploring a statewide campaign. Mr. Ray is a Princeton University alumnus who lives in Rumson.
"I happen to think it is good news from my point of view that the other or more recent additions have joined the race," Mr. Forrester said. A jam-packed field will allow for better debate on public issues, he said.
An admittedly late entrant to the race, Mr. Forrester said he decided to run after former Gov. Tom Kean bowed out in December. Mr. Forrester served as assistant state treasurer and director of the state’s retirement and pensions systems in the Kean administration.
"I’m of the opinion that we need a senator who has an ability and an inclination to represent us honorably," he said.
Mr. Forrester intends to keep Sen. Torricelli’s alleged ethics issues a focus in the campaign. His recent radio advertisement calls the senator "an embarrassment to all of New Jersey."
The United States Attorney’s Office announced in December that Sen. Torricelli would not face federal charges following a lengthy investigation into his fund-raising activities.
"I think the fact that important matters have been referred to the Senate Ethics Committee means that this is still an appropriate discussion," he said.
A California native, Mr. Forrester studied philosophy and government at Harvard University.
He came to New Jersey to embark on a vocation in the ministry by way of a master’s degree program at Princeton Theological Seminary.
Although he completed the degree, he did not go into the ministry.
"I came to the conclusion I was too young and I think if you’re going to be in the ministry you need to have some seasoning and suffering," he said.
There isn’t enough philosophy in government, he said as he began a response to a question about tax cuts.
He says he is not in favor of tax cuts for the sake of tax cuts.
"When the government does not make a compelling case, then I don’t think taxes should be raised, and unless a compelling case continues to be made, then, yes, I think there should be tax cuts," he said.
Examples of a compelling case could be environmental protection, regulation of pharmaceuticals and national security efforts, he said.
Mr. Forrester, a millionaire, declines to detail the extent of his personal wealth, but said press accounts have been greatly exaggerated.
"In six weeks, apparently I have surpassed Bill Gates in net worth," he quipped.
He intends to dip into personal funds "to make the primary successful," but plans to raise money as well, and said that is an important way of directly engaging the electorate.
A moderate Republican in the mode of former Gov. Kean, Mr. Forrester says he does not oppose government, unlike many of his fellow Republicans.
"I happen to think government is supposed to be a good thing," he said. Instead of bashing government, elected officials need to define the basic purposes of government and figure out how to accomplish them efficiently, he said.
He supports a woman’s right to choose an abortion with some qualifications.
"I believe the moral authority of a woman needs to be respected by the state in those first months of pregnancy," he said.
He said he would "take a dim view of a public affirmation" of the so-called partial-birth abortion procedure, which was unsuccessfully barred by the state Legislature.
Smart growth and the preservation of open space are important issues to Mr. Forrester.
During his time at the seminary, Mr. Forrester said, he needed a job to support himself and found employment with the Green Acres program in the state Department of Environmental Protection.
He became involved in local politics, winning election to the West Windsor Council, and was elected mayor, at age 27, four years after moving to the township.
Mr. Forrester said he enjoyed his six years under Gov. Kean as director of the state’s retirement and pensions systems, which he described as the best job in state government.
"It’s one of the very few jobs that has a long-time horizon built into the job," he said. "Also, it’s kind of like a benign undertaker sooner or later everybody comes to you."
A resident of the Princeton Junction section of West Windsor, Mr. Forrester is married with three children.