By Nicole M. Wells, Special Writer
SOUTH BRUNSWICK — You see them on the bumpers of cars throughout the 12th congressional district: "My Congressman IS a rocket scientist!"
And when U.S. Rep. Rush Holt, D-12, retires later this year, Kingston resident Andrew Zwicker, 49, wants to make sure that motorists can keep their congressional bragging rights. Albeit, with a few modifications.
"My little slogan now is, ’Keep your Congressman a rocket scientist!’" Mr. Zwicker said, to a chorus of laughter during a recent fundraiser at the Eno Terra restaurant. "I said to one person, ’Show me where your car is and I’ll Sharpie in ‘still.’"
Recruited to the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory by Mr. Holt, Mr. Zwicker now serves as the head of science education for the organization.
"It turns out that I’m the person who has more federal experience than any of my opponents," Mr. Zwicker said. "I’ve brought $10 million dollars in federal grants into our towns throughout this district to make sure that our students have the skills they need to compete in a high-tech, global economy."
A self-termed progressive Democrat and a newcomer to the district political scene, Mr. Zwicker is an unknown quantity in a field flush with name recognition contenders, but, according to his wife, Barbara Golden, 48, this dark-horse quality is hardly a handicap.
"There’s no one like Andrew," Ms. Golden said. "He’s very much someone who cares, someone who wants to do the best for people."
Unlike career politicians, Mr. Zwicker sweeps through the political landscape like a breath of fresh air, Ms. Golden said.
"You wouldn’t be disillusioned by him," she said. "He is an honest, genuine person."
Despite the steep learning curve, Mr. Zwicker said his bid for election has been an amazing ride thus far.
"It has been quite an 8-10 weeks," Mr. Zwicker said. "We started with nothing, with an idea, and we said, ’This is crazy.’ You don’t just run for Congress. But at the same time I was thinking to myself that, I don’t know about you, but I am really, really frustrated with what’s going on in Washington."
It is this frustration and desire to effect a change on the seemingly stagnant political morass of Washington that motivated him to run, Mr. Zwicker said.
"This idea of could I actually go ahead and try to make a difference was really very powerful," he said.
Ms. Golden agreed.
"It was like the stars aligned," she said. "He’s so uniquely qualified, similar enough to Rush but different from the other candidates."
Communication is something that is very much needed in Congress, Mr. Zwicker said, adding that he is "really good at communicating."
"I can explain any piece of science to anybody," he said. "I’ve spoken in front of crowds of hundreds, I’ve spoken to small crowds and I can translate science to any age group, from senior citizens to little kids."
According to his campaign literature, Mr. Zwicker’s priorities include protecting the environment, improving schools, developing infrastructure and creating jobs statewide.
"(Mr. Holt) said, ’You can win, but don’t enter unless you’re in it, to win it,’" Mr. Zwicker said, recalling an early campaign conversation with the congressman.
Based on the lawn signs popping up along Rt. 27, it would appear that Mr. Zwicker is, in fact, wading into the thick of it.
