New Jersey GOP congressional candidate Seth Grossman. Image by facebook

By Aiden Pink June 11, 2018

New Jersey Republican congressional nominee Seth Grossman said in April that “diversity is a bunch of crap and un-American,” Philly.com reported Monday.

Grossman also called diversity “an excuse by Democrats, communists, and socialists, basically, to say that we’re not all created equal; that some people, if somebody is lesser qualified, they will get a job anyway, or they’ll get into college anyway, because of the tribe that they’re with, what group, what box they fit into.”

The proudly pro-Trump nominee also stated that when American was last great, women did not need to work because their husbands were able to support their families on one salary.

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Grossman, a former Atlantic City councilman who won the party’s primary last week in New Jersey’s 2nd district in what local press called a “stunning upset,” made the comments at a GOP candidates’ forum two months ago. Footage of the forum was acquired by the Democratic political action committee American Bridge, which sent the footage to Philly.com.

Grossman told Philly.com that he stood by his comments.

“I said it,” he said. “I believe in America that each individual should be judged on nothing but his or her talent, character and hard work. I’m rejecting the whole premise of diversity as a virtue.”

A spokesman for Grossman’s upcoming election opponent, state senator Jeff Van Drew, said that the Democrat was “quite disappointed” by the comments and “wants to be a congressman that embraces our diversity because that is the foundation of [the] country’s success for generations as a land of opportunity.”

New Jersey’s second district at the southern end of the state has been represented by retiring Republican Rep. Frank LoBiondo for the last 24 years. It is expected to flip to the Democrats in November. Van Drew has around $400,000 cash on hand compared to Grossman’s $10,000.

Grossman has told Ballotpedia that his favorite holiday is Passover. “It brings friends and family together with good food, beverages, company, and conversation, but also teaches important lessons,” he wrote.

Contact Aiden Pink at [email protected] or on Twitter, @aidenpink

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