Even Congress has a silver lining, and that is Josh Gottheimer. He’s the smart, upbeat centrist who replaced Scott Garrett, the dour ideologue who clung to this seat for more than a decade.

Voters of the 5th district kicked Garrett out in 2016, largely for his bigoted remarks against gay people, but also perhaps the hypocrisy they detected in his anti-government shtick.

The Tea Partier who was even loath to fight for aid for Sandy victims, or health care for 9-11 first responders, now makes six figures in a government job created just for him, during a hiring freeze.

Rep. Gottheimer: No matter who wins in Nov., bipartisanship will be vital to move forward | Opinion

Having rid themselves of this swamp creature, the voters of Gottheimer’s district, which cuts across our state’s northern border, now face a new question. Will they double down on the moderation of this freshman Democrat, or elect another partisan hack?

John McCann, his latest Tea Party opponent, is an attorney and former Cresskill councilman who is staking his campaign on race-baiting scare tactics, because he is so clearly unqualified for Congress. He is also a petty man, like Garrett.

McCann even opposed using a microphone during his public debate with Gottheimer, for reasons that are hard to fathom, and spent much of the night loudly arguing with the moderator. That’s about the last thing we need in Congress…

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