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U.S. House · New Jersey's 4th Congressional District

Central New Jersey's Ocean and Monmouth counties, including Toms River, Brick, Jackson, and the Jersey Shore from Point Pleasant to Bay Head.

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

RESULT · UNOFFICIAL UNTIL CERTIFIED

Chris Smith, projected winner

CandidateVotesShare
Christopher Smith156,60759%
Rachel Peace108,76141%

About 98% of the expected vote counted. As of November 9. Winners take office next year. Counts can change until states certify. NBC News ↗

Sources re-checked September 25, 2026 · How we research

  • Incumbent Chris Smith ran unopposed in the June 2, 2026 Republican primary. Rachel Peace won a two-way Democratic primary with 72.8% of the vote (20,782 votes) over John Blake (27.2%).[1]
  • Cook Political Report rated the district's Partisan Voter Index as R+14 as of September 2026; Donald Trump won the district 64.4%–34.3% under the current district lines in the 2024 presidential election.[2]

On the November 3 ballot · 2 candidates

Chris SmithRINCUMBENTPROJECTED WINNERU.S. Representative for New Jersey's 4th Congressional District (since 1981); Chair, Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on AfricaFull profile →Rachel PeaceDFull profile →

Issue evidence — side by side

Recorded votes, documented positions and candidates’ own words are shown with sources. “In their own words” quotes a candidate on the topic without inferring a stance. Votes describe specific bills or motions; they do not establish overall support or opposition to a broad issue. A dash means our research has no evidence on that topic, not that the candidate has no position.

Protect legal access to abortion

  • Chris Smith
    Recorded votes[38][39][40]

    Voted no on Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 (H.R. 3755, 2021-09-24). Voted no on Women's Health Protection Act of 2022 (H.R. 8296, 2022-07-15). Voted yes on Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (H.R. 36, 2017-10-03), which would have banned most abortions after 20 weeks.

  • Rachel Peace
    —

Stricter gun laws

  • Chris Smith
    Recorded votes[33][34][35][36]

    Voted yes on Bipartisan Background Checks Act (H.R. 8, 2019-02-27), which would have required background checks on most private gun sales. Voted no on Assault Weapons Ban of 2022 (H.R. 1808, 2022-07-29), which would have banned the sale of many semiautomatic assault weapons. Voted no on Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (S. 2938, 2022-06-24), which expanded background checks for buyers under 21 and funded state red-flag programs. Voted no on Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act (H.R. 38, 2017-12-06), which would have required states to honor other states' concealed-carry permits.

  • Rachel Peace
    —

Expand immigration enforcement and deportations

  • Chris Smith
    Recorded votes[16][17][18][19][20][21][22]

    Voted yes on Laken Riley Act (S. 5, 2025-01-22). Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which funded expanded immigration enforcement, detention and border operations. Voted yes on Secure the Border Act of 2023 (H.R. 2, 2023-05-11). Voted yes on American Dream and Promise Act of 2019 (H.R. 6, 2019-06-04; 2021-03-18).

  • Rachel Peace
    —

Raise taxes on high earners or corporations

  • Chris Smith
    Recorded votes[17][18][19][29][28]

    Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which made the 2017 individual tax rates, including the 37% top rate, permanent. Voted no on Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1, 2017-12-20), which cut the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% and the top individual rate from 39.6% to 37%. Voted no on Inflation Reduction Act (H.R. 5376, 2022-08-12), which added a 15% minimum tax on large corporations and a stock-buyback excise tax.

  • Rachel Peace
    —

Expand public health coverage

  • Chris Smith
    Recorded votes[17][18][19][24][25][26]

    Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which reduced federal Medicaid spending and added Medicaid work requirements. Voted no on Breaking the Gridlock Act (H.R. 1834, 2026-01-08), which extended enhanced ACA premium subsidies. Voted no on Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590, 2010-03-21). Voted no on American Health Care Act (H.R. 1628, 2017-05-04), which would have capped federal Medicaid funding and ended enhanced funding for the Medicaid expansion.

  • Rachel Peace
    Supports[5]

    Supports guaranteed healthcare coverage for all Americans, saying the U.S. is one of the only developed nations without it.

Faster transition away from fossil fuels

  • Chris Smith
    Recorded votes[17][18][19][27][28]

    Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which phased out Inflation Reduction Act clean-energy tax credits. Voted no on Build Back Better Act (H.R. 5376, 2021-11-19; 2022-08-12), which would have funded clean-energy tax credits.

  • Rachel Peace
    Supports[5]

    Supports new environmental legislation to protect the Jersey Shore from coastal flooding and severe storms, and wants oil and gas companies to help pay for climate damage.

Raise the minimum wage

  • Chris Smith
    Recorded votes[37]

    Voted yes on Raise the Wage Act (H.R. 582, 2019-07-18).

  • Rachel Peace
    —

Broad tariffs on imported goods

  • Chris Smith
    Recorded votes[32]

    Voted no on Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada (H.J. Res. 72, 2026-02-11), which disapproved the tariffs on Canadian imports.

  • Rachel Peace
    —

Universal, publicly funded child care

  • Chris Smith
    Recorded votes[27]

    Voted no on Build Back Better Act (H.R. 5376, 2021-11-19), which would have funded universal pre-K and child-care subsidies.

  • Rachel Peace
    Supports[5]

    Supports universal pre-K beginning at age three and says childcare costs more than a mortgage for many families.

Require documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote

  • Chris Smith
    Recorded votes[23]

    Voted yes on SAVE Act (H.R. 22, 2025-04-10).

  • Rachel Peace
    —

Require Congress to approve U.S. military action abroad

  • Chris Smith
    Recorded votes[30][31]

    Voted no on War Powers Resolution on Venezuela (H. Con. Res. 64, 2025-12-17), which would have directed the removal of U.S. forces from hostilities against Venezuela absent congressional authorization. Voted no on War Powers Resolution directing removal of forces from Iran hostilities (H. Con. Res. 86, 2026-06-03), which directed the removal of U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran absent congressional authorization.

  • Rachel Peace
    —

Bar transgender women and girls from women's and girls' school sports

  • Chris Smith
    Supports[15]

    Cosponsored H.R. 28, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act (119th Congress), which would bar transgender girls and women from girls' and women's school sports programs that receive federal funds.

  • Rachel Peace
    —

Research notes & limits

Chris Smith has not completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey and has no current issues platform on his campaign website; his priorities/positions are therefore left empty and his entry relies on his extensive official legislative record (laws he has authored, published on his official House website) and committee leadership. Per the research brief, his federal floor votes and FEC totals are added separately by script. Rachel Peace's entry relies on her 2026 Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey response; she has not yet held elected office, so she has no record section. Chris Smith's biography relies on his official House biography and Ballotpedia; his campaign website was not loaded.

Sources · 43

Researched 2026-09-25. Green citations are official government records.

  1. 1.Christopher H. Smith · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  2. 2.United States Senate election in New Jersey, 2026 (Cook PVI and 2024 presidential results by district table) · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  3. 3.Christopher H. Smith · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  4. 4.Laws and Resolutions Authored by Congressman Chris Smith · Office of Rep. Chris Smith Official record
  5. 5.Rachel Peace · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  6. 6.The abortion pill is extremely dangerous to women · Office of Rep. Chris Smith Official record
  7. 7.Rep. Smith, Sen. Cassidy lead bicameral amicus brief in support of stopping the Biden FDA's illegal mail-order abortion scheme · Office of Rep. Chris Smith Official record
  8. 8.NJ election 2026: 4th Congressional District voter guide · WHYY News report
  9. 9.Biography · Office of Rep. Chris Smith Official record
  10. 10.Biography · Office of Rep. Chris Smith Official record
  11. 11.Christopher H. Smith · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  12. 12.Chris Smith (New Jersey politician) · Wikipedia · 2026-10-21 Reference
  13. 13.Laws and Resolutions Authored by Congressman Chris Smith · Office of Rep. Chris Smith Official record
  14. 14.New Jersey 4th Congressional District U.S. House election results 2026 · NBC News News report
  15. 15.H.R. 28, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act (Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025) — sponsors and cosponsors · Congress.gov Official record
  16. 16.Roll call: Laken Riley Act — final passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-01-22 Official record
  17. 17.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-05-22 Official record
  18. 18.H.R. 1 (119th Congress) — One Big Beautiful Bill Act: text and summary · Congress.gov Official record
  19. 19.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — final passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-07-03 Official record
  20. 20.Roll call: Secure the Border Act of 2023 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2023-05-11 Official record
  21. 21.Roll call: American Dream and Promise Act of 2019 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2019-06-04 Official record
  22. 22.Roll call: American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2021-03-18 Official record
  23. 23.Roll call: SAVE Act — proof-of-citizenship voter registration · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-04-10 Official record
  24. 24.Roll call: Breaking the Gridlock Act — ACA subsidy extension · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-01-08 Official record
  25. 25.Roll call: Affordable Care Act — final House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2010-03-21 Official record
  26. 26.Roll call: American Health Care Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2017-05-04 Official record
  27. 27.Roll call: Build Back Better Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2021-11-19 Official record
  28. 28.Roll call: Inflation Reduction Act — final House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2022-08-12 Official record
  29. 29.Roll call: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act — final House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2017-12-20 Official record
  30. 30.Roll call: War Powers Resolution on Venezuela · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-12-17 Official record
  31. 31.Roll call: War Powers Resolution directing removal of forces from Iran hostilities · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-06-03 Official record
  32. 32.Roll call: Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-02-11 Official record
  33. 33.Roll call: Bipartisan Background Checks Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2019-02-27 Official record
  34. 34.Roll call: Assault Weapons Ban of 2022 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2022-07-29 Official record
  35. 35.Roll call: Bipartisan Safer Communities Act — final House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2022-06-24 Official record
  36. 36.Roll call: Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2017-12-06 Official record
  37. 37.Roll call: Raise the Wage Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2019-07-18 Official record
  38. 38.Roll call: Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2021-09-24 Official record
  39. 39.Roll call: Women's Health Protection Act of 2022 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2022-07-15 Official record
  40. 40.Roll call: Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2017-10-03 Official record
  41. 41.Rachel Peace · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  42. 42.New Jersey election 2026: What to know about the 4th Congressional District race · WHYY · 2026-09-17 News report
  43. 43.U.S. House · New Jersey's 4th Congressional District results 2026 · NBC News News report