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Holt was elected to Congress in 1998 despite a conventional wisdom that said no Democrat could win in the 12th Congressional District. Yet, through a grassroots campaign that energized volunteers, communicated fresh ideas, and stuck to the issues that affected New Jersey families, Holt defeated incumbent Republican Mike Pappas. In 2000, Holt beat the odds-makers again when he successfully defended his seat against former Republican Congressman and Senate candidate Dick Zimmer. In both races, Holt was the underdog because the district had more Republicans than Democrats, but he succeeded by setting a new model for Democratic candidates. His campaigns were based upon good ideas, grassroots organizing, and a large number of small donations.

Prior to his election to Congress, Holt worked as a teacher, Congressional Science Fellow, and an arms control expert at the U.S. State Department. From 1980 to 1986 he taught physics, public policy, and religion courses at Swarthmore College. From 1989 until 1998, he was Assistant Director of the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, the largest research facility of Princeton University and the largest center for research in alternative energy in New Jersey. He is also a five-time winner of the television game show Jeopardy.

Currently, Rep. Holt serves on three committees in the House: the Education and Labor Committee, Natural Resources Committee, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Holt's impressive record on Intelligence issues led Speaker Nancy Pelosi to appoint Holt Chairman of the brand new Select Intelligence Oversight Panel in the 110th Congress. In just seven years, Holt has accumulated an impressive record of legislative accomplishments. For example, he has:

• Passed legislation to increase investment in math and science education by more than $250 million; amended legislation to speed-up loan forgiveness for math and science teachers; and was one of only two House members to serve on the prestigious Glenn Commission on Mathematics and Science Education.

• Expanded federal investment in critical need foreign languages such as Arabic, Farsi, and Pashto by providing $12 million in grants to universities for intensive overseas language immersion programs; added $8 million in new funding to the National Security Education Program (NSEP),which provides scholarships and fellowships to university language students in exchange for federal service; and established a three-year Pilot Project for Civilian Linguist Reserve Corps at a funding level of $9 million per year in order to recruit Americans who possess unique language skills into part-time federal service.
• Secured $40 million for open space preservation nationwide ($2.2 million in New Jersey alone); made the Lower Delaware River part of the national Wild and Scenic River Program; secured $2 million for smart growth planning in Central New Jersey through the creation of a Municipal Land Use Resource Center; and introduced bipartisan legislation (later adopted in the form of a compromise) requiring the EPA to re-examine the outdated test it uses for measuring fuel economy in cars.
• Blocked the Bush Administration from implementing a change to student loan eligibility rules that would have prevented thousands of students from receiving loans and grants for college.
• Co-founded the bipartisan Congressional Research & Development Caucus; helped author the House Democratic Innovation Agenda; and launched Einstein's Alley, a local economic development initiative that seeks to make Central New Jersey a national center for innovation and R&D-based entrepreneurship.
• Amended the House Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 to establish two advisory councils: one to focus on getting more and better intelligence-related information to state and local governments and first responders, and second to safeguard every American's right to privacy; and initiated a federal study to map the gene sequences of all potential biological weapons to help first-responders and law enforcement react more effectively in the event of biological attack
• Helped more than 12,000 constituents cut through red tape on personal matters such as Social Security, health benefits, military medals, tax rebates, identity theft, food stamps, and immigration. In one case in particular, that of the Hasan family, Holt was able to pass legislation preventing this local Pakistani family from being deported after their husband and father, Waqar Hasan, was murdered in a hate crime in the aftermath of September 11, 2001.

A leading political almanac, CQ's Politics in America 2006 (see full profile as PDF [2]), recently said this about Holt: "From intelligence oversight to election reform, he has prodded his colleagues in Congress to take a more active role in ensuring that individual rights are protected and American values are upheld." Holt has shown that he is willing to stand up for principle even if it means wading into politically explosive areas. For example:

• After the White House leaked the identity of a CIA operative in retaliation for her husband's criticism of the Iraq War, Holt was the first member of Congress to introduce a Resolution of Inquiry demanding that the Administration turn over all relevant documents to Congress.
• Following the revelations of prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay, Holt introduced legislation to require all interrogations between out military and captured combatants to be videotaped.
• When House and Senate Republicans imposed their will on Terri Schiavo, Holt was one of the few Democrats to return to Washington to vote against their ploy and speak passionately against it.
• Upon hearing that President Bush thought that Intelligent Design should be taught side-by-side with natural selection in public school science classes as an explanation for evolution, Holt became a leading voice in opposition to I.D.
• And Holt was one of the courageous Democrats who voted against the Iraq War in 2002, and subsequently against giving the President a blank check. Notably, in September 2005 - six weeks before Rep. Jack Murtha of Pennsylvania - Holt called for redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq to begin immediately after the Iraqi citizens voted on their constitution.

Holt's background as a scientist makes him unafraid to tackle important issues that are often ignored because they are complicated or technical. In 2002, for example, Holt became a national leader on election reform when he introduced legislation to require all voting machines to produce a voter-verified paper trail (H.R. 550). His bill, which has more than 155 bipartisan co-sponsors, has been called the "gold standard" by VerifiedVoting,org, and has been endorsed by The New York Times, MoveOn.org, and Common Cause. Holt is also a strong proponent of stem cell research, smart growth, and investing in sustainable, renewable sources of energy. Throughout his career, he has been an unwavering supporter of a woman's right to choose.