Campaigning for Congress during the 2004 election , Brozak kicked off his campaign with a front-page feature story , " A Marine Jumps Party Lines to Join Democrats in Trenches " , in '' The Wall Street Journal '' , where he gave early warning of the nearly insurmountable challenges faced by the shortage of U.S. troops in Iraq and the need for a modified strategy to subdue insurgency and create a secure nation in Iraq . His campaign focused on the lack of planning for the Iraq war , the strain it placed on our military , and the severe economic repercussions that would ensue — specifically the rise in energy prices . He also stressed the need for unfettered research in stem cells and the need for a fair trade policy with other countries . Brozak was featured in an article in the magazine Salon , which described his campaign as " a referendum on Bush 's military folly . " During his Congressional campaign , Brozak was invited to speak during prime time at the 2004 Democratic National Convention , where he criticized the Bush administration for lack of planning prior to the war in Iraq . He was later criticized by bloggers in the Internet publication , '' The Weekly Standard '' for his strong position against administration partisanship in political appointments at the Pentagon . Brozak was defeated by incumbent Mike Ferguson ( Republican ) for New Jersey 's 7th Congressional District
2004 Democratic National Convention
2004 Democratic National Convention
Steve Brozak