NEW YORK (JTA) — Rabbi Shmuley Boteach lost his bid for a congressional seat from New Jersey.
The Orthodox rabbi, author and media personality was defeated handily in his effort to unseat Rep. Bill Pascrell, a Democrat. Boteach mounted a longshot run as a Republican in the heavily Democratic northeastern New Jersey district.
Pascrell had defeated a fellow congressman, Steve Rothman, in a redistricting-induced party primary.
Casino mogul and Republican supporter Sheldon Adelson and his wife twice during the campaign gave $500,000 to a Super PAC supporting Boteach’s bid for Congress.
The Adelsons gave the money to the Patriot Prosperity PAC. They also gave $10,000 directly to the Boteach campaign.
Boteach, who once was affiliated with the Chabad movement, bills himself as “America’s Rabbi.” He hosts a show on TLC called “Shalom in the Home” and is the author of several books, including “Kosher Sex,” “Kosher Adultery,” “The Kosher Sutra” and, most recently, “Kosher Jesus.”
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