Josh Zeitz

Fourth district congressional candidate Josh Zeitz has been added to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s “races to watch” list.

The placement could put Zeitz, who’s challenging long-term incumbent U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-Hamilton), on deck to receive fundraising help from the DCCC over the next two months.

The “races to watch” category is the third tier of the group’s prospects. The first tier – the “Red to Blue” program - provides fundraising help in the most competitive districts. Assemblywoman Linda Stender, who’s running against Republican state Sen. Leonard Lance for an open seat in District 7, and State Sen. John Adler, who’s running Republican Medford Mayor Chris Myers for an open seat in District 3, are in that program. Blind rabbi/psychologist Dennis Shulman, who’s running against U.S. Rep. Scott Garrett in the 5th District, is in the second tier “emerging races” program.

Republican Chris Smith is seeking his 15th term in Congress. He was first elected in 1980.: Getty Images Photo
An outraged U.S. Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-Hamilton) wants an apology from his Democratic challenger for calling him a bigot and for falsely charging that he concealed campaign contributions from two conservative Christian groups.

Democrat Josh Zeitz, a college history professor challenging the fourteen-term Congressman, released a video this week seeking to dispel the notion that Smith is a moderate. Yesterday he took that a step further, calling Smith a “bigot.”

Zeitz’s claims were amplified by an article in The New Republic, a left leaning magazine, which yesterday outlined Smith’s ties to what Zeitz called “religious-right hate groups.”

Today, the magazine retracted part of their story and, Smith says, apologized to him.

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- U.S. Rep. Chris Smith tends to shun the spotlight, but he couldn’t avoid the congratulations coming from his fellow Republicans today.

Smith (R-Hamilton) made an appearance this morning at the delegation breakfast, just weeks after making headlines for extracting two of his constituents from their grandparents’ home in the Republic of Georgia.

Ocean County Republican Chairman George Gilmore came over to greet smith, who represents part of his county.

“You’re looking good,” he said.

Smith last month got an email from one of his constituents, Joseph Evans, telling him that his two daughters were stuck at their grandparents farm in the Republic of Georgia. Smith sprung into action from his district office in Hamilton, spending a week working the phones from Hamilton before heading to Tbilisi himself.

This week's Winners & Losers: Click Here.

The news today that Ashley Evans, 7, and her sister Sophia, 3, have been reunited with their father after being stuck in the Republic of Georgia after the Russian Army invasion two weeks ago essentially ends the campaign of Josh Zeitz, a college professor on an already long shot bid to oust fourteen-term Congressman Christopher Smith. Smith traveled to Georgia last week to meet with officials and has remained there to help facilitate the safety of the two girls, who live in Howell Township in the fourth district. Operatives from both parties say that Smith will have no trouble getting re-elected now, although some say he had no problems before the successful rescue mission.

(Hamilton, NJ) Chris Smith has co-authored twenty-two bills to outlaw the common, everyday birth control pill and IUD. Smith's unconscionable legislation is the topic of a new web video produced by the Zeitz for Congress campaign.

Josh Zeitz, Democratic candidate for Congress in the 4th Josh Zeitz: Politicker file photoCongressional district, today mailed U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-Hamilton) an invitation to four public debates, in honor of the 150th anniversary of the Lincoln-Douglass debates.

Zeitz asked Smith to join him at one public debate in each of the 4th district’s counties.

"The rising cost of food, gas, health care, and education is hurting many working families," wrote Zeitz. "People have a right to know how each of us proposes to address these grave problems, and they have a right to challenge us in a public forum.

“The rising cost of food, gas, health care, and education is hurting many working families. People have a right to know how each of us proposes to address these grave problems, and they have a right to challenge us in a public forum.”

Rep. Christopher Smith (R-Hamilton) isn’t taking his bid for a 15th term for granted, raising $143,300 over the last three months and now has $503,944 cash on hand.  His Democratic challenger, history professor Josh Zeitz, raised $108,101 during the same period.  Zeitz has raised $259,267 so far and has $124,535 in the bank.

Statewide, Zeitz ranks second in challenger fundraising.  Dennis Shulman, a blind Rabbi and psychologist running against Rep. Scott Garrett (R-Wantage) raised $270,000 last quarter, according to his campaign.  He has raised $585,000 so far, with $258,000 cash on hand.

Most New Jersey challengers are faring poorly in the fundraising game.