AP: Ex-Giant Harry Carson Could Challenge Garrett for Congress Run

The Associated Press reported Monday that former New York Giant linebacker Harry Carson is considering challenging incumbent Congressman Scott Garrett (R-5th) in 2012.

The report comes a week after a Republican-favoring map was selected and instead of battling Garrett, Democrat Rep. Steve Rothman elected to move out the district to face a fellow Democrat, leaving Garrett without an opponent.

Carson, who played for the Giants from 1976-1988, is a resident of Franklin Lakes and may square off against Garrett as a Democrat, the AP reported.

"There's no definitive decision. It's a thought," Carson, 58, told the AP in a phone interview. Carson, who owns a sports promotion company, has reportedly been considering a run with input from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the AP reported.

The Hall of Fame linebacker is just the latest name to be thrown into the 2012 race against Scott Garrett, of Sussex County and considered one of the most conservative members of Congress.

Rothman's decision to pass on a battle with Garrett in favor of Bill Pascrell (D-9), a veteran Passaic Congressman, has led to speculation that Sen. Connie Wagner (D-38) and Passaic County Freeholder Tom Duffy (D-West Milford) and Sen. Bob Gordon (D-38) could run on the other coin.

, Gordon told northjersey.com: "Never say never" on a potential run against Garrett.

None of the candidates has officially said they're aiming for the Democrat nomination.

The re-drawn 5th district – which spans from the conservative, rural Pennsylvania border in the northwest to New York City's affluent, moderate bedroom communities – maintains Republican voting majority but also picked up parts of Teaneck and other Democrat-heavy areas like Hackensack to the east.

Garrett is expected to have a four-point advantage against a Democrat, PolitickerNJ reported last week, citing sources.