Rabbi Shmuley's longshot race for Congress gets upgrade and funding boost

Political pundits don't give Rabbi Shmuley Boteach much chance to win a New Jersey Congressional seat against a longtime Democrat, but GOP loyalists appear to like his chances by giving him money and upgrading his status to contender.

Or maybe they are just trying to make it more difficult for Democratic incumbent Bill Pascrell Jr., who is expected to easily win the heavily Democratic district. Pascrell appears tight on cash having spent $2.3 million in a nasty primary battle in the newly draw 9th Congressional District. He currently has just $254,743 cash on hand, according to federal reports.

The Wall Street Street Journal reported last week that Las Vegas billionaire Sheldon Adelson and his wife Miriam, a doctor, gave $500,000 to a brand new pro-Shmuley super PAC called “Patriot Prosperity.”

"In the wake of the Adelsons’ huge donation, the Republican National Congressional Committee (announced) Thursday that it is elevating Mr. Boteach’s status in their 'Young Guns' program to 'Contender.' That means he will get more attention from glittery Republican draws, volunteers and GOP Congressional leaders," the Journal reported

In an interview with the Deseret News, Boteach predicted his fundraising would pick up and the race won't be a forgone conclusion. That part of the interview wasn't in the News' profile story, but Boteach appears to be making good on his fundraising forecast. What kind of impact that will have on the race will have to wait until November.