Josh Zeitz

Josh Zeitz wants to become Chris Smith's 15th Democratic opponentAmong the Mercer County Democrats who gathered for Saturday's convention were three people who had fought the same fight and lost.

United States Rep. Chris Smith has been beating Democrats in the Fourth Congressional District for 27 years, but the assembled supporters had high hopes for Zeitz.

U.S. Rep. Rush Holt (D-12) introduced the latest Democratic challenger as a “very accomplished scholar and really exciting candidate.”

Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes, Washington Township Municipal Chairman Larry Schneider and Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-Mercer) lost to Smith in 1992, 1998 and 2000 respectively.

“I’m celebrating my tenth anniversary this year,” Schneider dead-panned.

Fact #34: Chris Smith Voted Against Additional Dwell Time for our Troops

"Voters deserve to know why Chris Smith opposed granting our over-deployed troops adequate dwell time to rest with their friends and family."

For Immediate Release

Tuesday March 18, 2008

Contact: Steven D'Amico 609-668-1754

(Bordentown, NJ)-Chris Smith says that he wants to run on his record in Congress. Unfortunately, there are parts of his record that voters may find less than appealing.

Josh Zeitz appeals to Monmouth County Democrats. 

ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS - After giving standing ovations to U.S. Rep. Rush Holt (D-12) and U.S. Rep Frank Pallone (D-6) at the Shore Casino on Saturday, Monmouth County Democrats greeted their young contender in the 4th congressional district with a polite pitter-patter of hands.

Of the 4th, "I don’t know if its going to be contested or not but we do have someone here," Party Chairman Victor Scudiery said in his introduction of Zeitz, a 34-year old American History professor at Rutgers University from Bordentown who has taken a leave of absence this year to challenge the formidable U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-4).

With at least 200,000 newly registered Democrats appearing on the voter roles after this month’s primary, a new hope has arisen in Democrat Josh Zeitz’s campaign to unseat long-time incumbent Republican Chris Smith.

Zeitz estimates that 20,000 of those new Democrats will be in his district, which is comprised of four counties: Ocean, Burlington, Monmouth and Mercer. As of the last count, the district was made up of 17% Democrats, 22% Republicans, and 61% unaffiliated voters. Adding 20,000 new Democrats to the rolls will make party registration in the district roughly equal. Zeitz campaign manager Steve D’Amico added that the district is getting younger, with about 60% of the residents under 50.

“In this kind of atmosphere, in a year that Democrats are surging with these resources, party parity will make the difference. It provides the winning margin,” said Zeitz, 34.

But Smith says he’s heard this from opponents before. He heard it from Brian Hughes just after redistricting in 1992; and from Reed Gusciora, who promised to run an aggressive campaign in 2000. And now, Smith says, he represents the most heavily Republican district he’s had since entering the House in 1981.

“No one should have a congressional seat for three decades,” 33-year-old Democrat Josh Zeitz, a college professor challenging fourteen-term incumbent Christopher Smith told the Burlington County Times. “You can’t help but stop relating to your constituents.” You can be Frank Lautenberg disagrees with his would-be running mate.