Chris Smith

A general election candidate in the 12th Congressional district last year, Alan Bateman, a former deputy mayor of Holmdel, notified voters this week that he intends to pursue a 4th Congressional District 2010 primary challenge of U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-Hamilton), whom Bateman believes has strayed from core GOP principles.

"I am running for U.S. Congress against current incumbent Chris Smith," writes Bateman in a request for financial support printed on "Bateman for Congress" letterhead.

"Chris Smith has been in Washington for 30 long years - that's right - 30 years! He is a Washington insider who is out of touch with the people," adds Bateman, a fierce ally of former gubernatorial candidate and movement conservative leader Steve Lonegan of Bogota. 

"...Chris Smith was one of eight Republicans who voted for cap and trade," says the self-described conservative. "His vote confirmed what most of us have known all along... Chris Smith is way too liberal for this district, drawn to be a safe Republican seat."

Alan Bateman

As part of the cap and trade vote fallout, last year's 12th Congressional District general election challenger could be next year's 4th District GOP primary challenger.

Holmdel businessman Alan Bateman is now mulling a 2010 run against veteran U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-Hamilton), he told PolitickerNJ.com.

"He's done great work on the pro-life issue, but being pro-life doesn't make you a conservative," said Bateman, an ally of movement conservative Steve Lonegan who in last year's general election lost by double digits to U.S. Rep. Rush Holt (D-Hopewell Twp.).

Bateman's biggest beef is cap and trade, which Smith supported with an "aye" vote earlier this summer.

"Let's let the free market do its job," said the prospective challenger, the former deputy mayor of Holmdel whose home has been on the market for six months, who says he wants to move into the 4th Congressional District.

Former GOP gubernatorial candidate Steve Lonegan issued an op-ed blast to supporters this morning entitled "The Hollow Men," rebuking campaign operative allies of GOP gubernatorial nominee Chris Christie, State Party Chairman Jay Webber, pro-cap and trade Republican congressmen, and the state party in general for what Lonegan cites as an abandonment of conservative principles.

"Since the Primary Election, loyal Republicans have been baffled by the behavior of the GOP establishment in New Jersey," writes Lonegan in his most pointed criticism of his party since losing the nomination to Christie on June 2nd. "First, operatives in the campaign of our nominee for Governor, Chris Christie, monkeyed around with the social issues page on his website, gaining the attention of the media before resolving what they caused.

"Then, at the meeting of the Republican State Committee – the men and women elected from each county to formulate and advance the party’s principles – the party leadership blocked a move to formally adopt the platform of the national Republican Party, as well as blocking a resolution condemning Governor Corzine’s tax hikes.  At least one major newspaper, the Star-Ledger, linked the leadership’s refusal to adopt our Party’s platform to the fact it contains Pro-Life and Pro-Traditional Marriage planks."

The legendary sports journalist, Jimmy Cannon of the now defunct New York Journal-American said of Howard Cosell: “His real name is Howard Cohen, he wears a toupee, and he claims to tell it like it is.”

Of Leonard Lance, it may similarly be said:  He voted as a state Senator to reappoint Deborah Poritz as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, he voted as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for the Democrat cap-and-trade proposal on greenhouse gases, and he claims to be a mainstream Republican.

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Conservative strategist Rick Shaftan says potential candidates have emerged to take on three Republicans who voted for cap and trade

Cape May County Republican Chairman David Von Savage said today that he does not agree with U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo's (R-Vineland) vote on cap-and-trade, but that conservative political consultant Rick Shaftan is “taking advantage of a highly volatile situation” by helping candidates take up primary challenges against three Republican congressmen who voted for cap-and-trade legislation on Friday.  

“I think Rick Shaftan is reckless," said Von Savage. I understand Rick is a vendor, and therefore looking for willing accomplices to advance his financial endgame.”  

Von Savage, whose county is entirely represented by LoBiondo, said that he does not agree with the his congressman's vote.  Instead, he favors tax incentives for alternative energy development and over  “punitive levels of taxation” to wean the United States off foreign fossil fuels.  

“While there are issues regarding the Congressman’s vote with conservatives in the party, I think it’s irresponsible for Shaftan to be sticking his nose down this way,” he said.  “Respectfully, what he ought to do is consider relocating to the south and utilizing his approach to campaigning south of the Mason-Dixon Line.”

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-- "Just whose side is Christie on???"

LONEGAN: CHRISTIE NEEDS TO BACK UP THE MEN WHO ENDORSED HIM

KENILWORTH -- Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Lonegan today praised the five New Jersey house members who voted against Barack Obama's inflationary pork barrel "stimulus" package, including four who endorsed Chris Christie, and urged Christie to join him in backing up the New Jersey Republican Congressional team.

State Sen. Joe Kyrillos, a former GOP State Chairman, will serve as chairman of Chris Christie's campaign for Governor.

State Sen. Joseph Kyrillos will serve as Chairman of Christopher Christie's campaign for the Republican nomination for Governor, and four of the five Republicans in the state congressional delegation will serve as Co-Chairmen.

U.S. Reps. Christopher Smith (R-Hamilton), Frank LoBiondo (R-Vineland), Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-Harding) and Leonard Lance (R-Clinton) are also part of Christie's statewide leadership team.

"I am honored to stand with Chris Christie in his noble fight to bring genuine reform to New Jersey," said Kyrillos, who served as GOP State Chairman from 2001 to 2004.   "There is no doubt that Chris Christie will unify not only our party, but all New Jerseyans.  This team speaks to his regional and ideological appeal all across the state." 

Smith called Christie "a man of honor, integrity, and backbone."

"He has the skills and ability to lead our state during this time of turmoil and economic struggle," said Smith, a Congressman since 1981.

U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-Harding)

Republicans U.S. Rep Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-Harding) and U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-Hamilton) joined the entire Democratic Party congressional delegation from New Jersey to vote in favor of the $14 billion auto industry bailout tonight. 

The bailout passed in the U.S. House by a vote of 237 to 170, mostly along party lines, with only 32 Republicans joining Democrats to vote in the affirmative. 

U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-Vineland), U.S. Rep. Jim Saxton (R-Burlington), U.S. Rep. Mike Ferguson (R-New Providence) and U.S. Rep. Scott Garrett (R-Wantage) all voted against the bailout package.

Fourth District residents are getting calls from Hillary Clinton.

Clinton recorded a robocall for Democrat Josh Zeitz, who’s challenging U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-Hamilton) – the longest-serving incumbent in the state.

“Hi, this is Senator Hillary Clinton calling to ask you to vote for Josh Zeitz for Congress on Tuesday, November 4^th,” she says in the call. “Josh Zeitz knows that your priorities are to repair this broken economy and ensure that all Americans receive quality, affordable health care, and these will be his priorities in Congress.”

Fourth District Democratic Congressional candidate Josh Zeitz is challenging U.S. Rep. Chris Smith’s right to vote in his own election, and maybe even his right to be a candidate.

The Zeitz campaign today sent a letter to Mercer County Superintendent of Elections Bettye Monroe, asking that Smith’s voter registration be revoked because of his alleged Virginia residency.

At issue is controversy surrounding Smith’s daughter’s college tuition. She pays in-state tuition at a public university in Virginia, where Smith’s family resides. Zeitz says the law states that only legal Virginia residents can do that, and that parents who co-sign the application for the tuition break must have “abandoned any previous domicile.”

“We request an explanation of how Chris Smith may vote in New Jersey after having ‘abandoned’ New Jersey as a domicile. Smith's voluntary application for Virginia in-state educational benefits demonstrates his choice that Virginia, not New Jersey, is his domicile. Smith cannot be a registered voter in New Jersey and a Virginia domicile at the same time, particularly as Virginia requires that its domiciles "intend to remain indefinitely,” wrote Zeitz Campaign Manager Steve D’Amico.