New Jersey's 4th congressional district
New Jersey's 4th congressional district is a congressional district that stretches from the New Jersey shore to the central part of the state near the capital of Trenton. It has been represented by Republican Chris Smith since 1981. With a Cook PVI rating of R+8, it is by far the most Republican district in New Jersey, and is among the most conservative congressional districts in the Northeast.
New Jersey's 4th congressional district | |||
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Representative |
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Distribution |
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Population (2019) | 748,199 | ||
Median household income | $91,212[1] | ||
Ethnicity |
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Cook PVI | R+8[2] |
In December 2021, the New Jersey Redistricting Commission adopted a new congressional map that will take effect in January 2023 for the following decade. In this map, the 4th district will lose its two towns in Mercer County, becoming entirely contained to Monmouth County and Ocean County.[3]

Counties and municipalities in the district
For the 113th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2010 Census), the district includes 43 municipalities in parts of Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean counties.
Municipalities in the district are:[4][5]
Mercer County (2 municipalities)
Monmouth County (34)
- Allentown Borough, Avon-By-The-Sea Borough, Belmar Borough, Bradley Beach Borough, Brielle Borough, Colts Neck Township, Eatontown Borough, Englishtown Borough, Fair Haven Borough, Farmingdale Borough, Freehold Borough, Freehold Township, Holmdel Township, Howell Township, Lake Como Borough, Little Silver Borough, Manalapan Township, Manasquan Borough, Middletown Township (part; also 6th), Millstone Township, Neptune City, Neptune Township, Ocean Township, Red Bank Borough, Roosevelt Borough, Rumson Borough, Sea Girt Borough, Shrewsbury Borough, Shrewsbury Township, Spring Lake Borough, Spring Lake Heights Borough, Tinton Falls Borough, Upper Freehold Township and Wall Township
Ocean County (7)
Election results in statewide races
Year | Office | Results |
---|---|---|
2000 | President | Gore 50 - 46% |
2004 | President | Bush 56 - 44% |
2008 | President | McCain 52 - 47% |
2012 | President | Romney 54 - 45% |
2016 | President | Trump 56 - 41% |
2020 | President | Trump 55 - 44% |
List of members representing the district
Recent election results
2012
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Chris Smith (incumbent) | 195,146 | 63.7 | |
Democratic | Brian Froelich | 107,992 | 35.3 | |
Independent | Leonard Marshall | 3,111 | 1.0 | |
Total votes | 306,247 | 100.0 | ||
Republican hold |
2014
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Chris Smith (incumbent) | 118,826 | 68.0 | |
Democratic | Ruben M. Scolavino | 54,415 | 31.1 | |
Independent | Scott Neuman | 1,608 | 0.9 | |
Total votes | 174,849 | 100.0 | ||
Republican hold |
2016
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Chris Smith (incumbent) | 211,992 | 63.7 | |
Democratic | Lorna Phillipson | 111,532 | 33.5 | |
Independent | Hank Schroeder | 5,840 | 1.8 | |
Libertarian | Jeremy Marcus | 3,320 | 1.0 | |
Total votes | 332,684 | 100.0 | ||
Republican hold |
2018
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Chris Smith (incumbent) | 163,065 | 55.4 | |
Democratic | Joshua Welle | 126,766 | 43.1 | |
Libertarian | Michael Rufo | 1,387 | 0.5 | |
Independent | Ed Stackhouse | 1,064 | 0.4 | |
Independent | Brian Reynolds | 851 | 0.3 | |
Independent | Felicia Stoler | 844 | 0.3 | |
Independent | Allen Yusufov | 371 | 0.1 | |
Total votes | 294,348 | 100.0 | ||
Republican hold |
2020
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Chris Smith (incumbent) | 254,103 | 59.9 | |
Democratic | Stephanie Schmid | 162,420 | 38.3 | |
Independent | Hank Schroeder | 3,195 | 0.7 | |
Libertarian | Michael Rufo | 2,583 | 0.6 | |
Independent | Andrew Pachuta | 2,067 | 0.5 | |
Total votes | 424,368 | 100.0 | ||
Republican hold |
References
- "My Congressional District".
- "Partisan Voting Index – Districts of the 115th Congress" (PDF). The Cook Political Report. April 7, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
- "New Jersey Congressional Districts: 2022-2031" (PDF). New Jersey Redistricting Commission. December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
- District, Chris Smith (New Jersey politician). Accessed June 15, 2016.
- Plan Components Report, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed November 6, 2016.
- "Election Information" (PDF). NJ Department of State. November 6, 2012. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
- "Election Information" (PDF). NJ Department of State. December 2, 2014. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
- "Election Information" (PDF). NJ Department of State. November 8, 2016. Retrieved December 8, 2016.
- Johnson, Cheryl L. (February 28, 2019). "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 6, 2018". Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
- "Official General Election Results: U.S. House of Representatives" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Elections. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
- Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
- Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
- Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present