One of a handful of centrist Democrats, U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-5) last week voted in favor of a national defense spending bill that includes funding for a U.S.-Mexico border wall, making it clear in a statement that while he opposes the wall, he supports what he sees as the overriding defense measures in the bill.

“My top priority is keeping our families and communities safe,” said the congressman. “That’s why I voted today to give our men and women in uniform the tools and resources they need to defeat terrorists and ensure our veterans receive the care they’ve earned and deserve.

“I don’t support every provision, which is why I voted to prevent the boondoggle of a border wall from being included in the bill,” Gottheimer added. “The experts tell me that it will do nothing to keep our communities safe while costing taxpayers.”

According to The Hill, “House GOP leaders used a procedural maneuver to unilaterally add the $1.6 billion for the wall to the spending package without a standalone up or down vote on it. That move prevented what would have been a tough vote on the wall proposal for some GOP lawmakers.”

Gottheimer was one of five House Democrats who voted in favor of the national defense spending bill that contained funding for the wall. The others were Sanford Bishop of Georgia, Charlie Crist of Florida, Charlie O’Halleran of Arizona, and Krysten Sinema of Arizona.

The first term New Jersey congressman from Bergen County last year defeated veteran Republican U.S. Rep. Scott Garrett (R-5) to wrest the seat out of Republican control. In 2018, he hopes to defend the seat against a GOP animated with the possibility of reconfiguring the district to its longtime Republican Party dimensions.