U.S. House, New Jersey 4th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in New Jersey's 4th Congressional District?
Chris Smith has the strongest record in New Jersey's 4th Congressional District. Chris Smith scores 73 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Chris Smith's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Rachel Peace (6 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Democratic
Rachel Peace
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 6 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 65
- Performance
- NR
Republican · incumbent
Strongest record
Chris Smith
On the ballot as Christopher H. Smith
73 / 100
Public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 56
- Qualifications
- 80
- Performance
- 81
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Rachel Peace
- On the record2026
First-time candidate who owns a communications business working mainly with nonprofits.
Source: WHYY, Sept. 17, 2026
Chris Smith
- On the record2026-09
Did not respond to a WHYY News interview request for its 4th District voter guide.
Source: WHYY, Sept. 17, 2026
- On the record2025-12-11
Voted for the Protect America's Workforce Act, restoring federal worker bargaining rights, when Republican leaders voted against it.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 332, 2025
- On the record2023-12-01
Voted to expel Rep. George Santos when Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise voted against expulsion.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 691, 2023
- On the record2017-12
Voted against the 2017 Republican tax law, citing its limit on state and local tax deductions.
Source: WHYY, Sept. 17, 2026
- Credit2024-12-23
The Autism CARES Act of 2024, which he sponsored, was signed into law, reauthorizing federal autism research and services programs.
- Credit
Has authored laws protecting victims of human trafficking, supporting autism research and helping veterans and their families.
Source: WHYY, Sept. 17, 2026
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Rachel Peace. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, and a House candidate financial disclosure is indexed by the Clerk. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00933846
Chris Smith. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, and his 2025 annual financial disclosure is indexed by the House Clerk. No House Ethics Committee matter, FEC administrative fine or periodic transaction report found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00096412, House Committee on Ethics site search for Christopher Smith
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Rachel Peace. No public record found.
Chris Smith. Voted against his party leadership on several significant measures: to expel Rep. George Santos in 2023, for the Protect America's Workforce Act in 2025 and the Faster Labor Contracts Act in 2026, each opposed by GOP leaders. Voted against the 2017 Republican tax law.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 691, 2023, House Clerk Roll Call 332, 2025, House Clerk Roll Call 216, 2026, WHYY, Sept. 17, 2026
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Rachel Peace. No public record found.
Chris Smith. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Rachel Peace. No public record found.
Chris Smith. Has served in the House since 1981 and co-chairs the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission and the Congressional-Executive Commission on China. No censure, reprimand or House Ethics Committee finding found.
Sources: WHYY, Sept. 17, 2026, House Committee on Ethics site search for Christopher Smith
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Rachel Peace. No public record found.
Chris Smith. Voted Nay on both January 2021 objections and on the January 2005 Ohio objection, and is not on the Texas v. Pennsylvania House amicus list. No misuse-of-office finding found.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 7, Jan. 6, 2005
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Rachel Peace. Owns a communications business that works mainly with nonprofits. A first-time candidate who has not held public office.
Source: WHYY, Sept. 17, 2026
Chris Smith. Has represented central New Jersey in the House since January 1981, now seeking a 24th term.
Source: GovTrack, Chris Smith
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Rachel Peace. Published positions in general terms on health care, housing, child care, energy and foreign aid.
Source: WHYY, Sept. 17, 2026
Chris Smith. Chairs the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa and is the senior member of the full committee; authored laws on human trafficking, autism and veterans.
Sources: GovTrack, committee membership, WHYY, Sept. 17, 2026
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Rachel Peace. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey, gave WHYY an interview and publishes a policy page on her campaign site.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Rachel Peace, WHYY, Sept. 17, 2026, Campaign site, home page
Chris Smith. His House office publishes the laws he authored and news releases. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey and did not respond to WHYY's voter guide request.
Sources: Office site, home page, Ballotpedia, Chris Smith, WHYY, Sept. 17, 2026
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Rachel Peace. Grew up in Brick Township and lives in Wall Township, both in the district. FEC by-state totals show about 76 percent of her $12,665 in itemized individual contributions from New Jersey.
Sources: WHYY, Sept. 17, 2026, FEC contribution totals by state, Brick Shorebeat, March 17, 2026
Chris Smith. Grew up in Iselin and lives in Manchester Township, which is in the district. FEC by-state totals for 2025 to 2026 show about 65 percent of itemized individual contributions from New Jersey.
Sources: WHYY, Sept. 17, 2026, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Rachel Peace. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00933846
Chris Smith. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00096412
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Rachel Peace. No public record found.
Chris Smith. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 2.736 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 1.544, exceeding expectations. GovTrack lists 68 enacted bills he sponsored, including the Autism CARES Act of 2024.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, enacted legislation
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Rachel Peace. No public record found.
Chris Smith. Missed 552 of 26,422 roll call votes, 2.1 percent, from January 1981 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Rachel Peace. No public record found.
Chris Smith. Runs a constituent service center in Toms River and offers help with federal agencies. No published casework totals found.
Sources: Office site, Contact, Office site, home page
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Rachel Peace. No public record found.
Chris Smith. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of 0.81265 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 40 of 436, in the top quarter.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Rachel Peace. No public record found.
Chris Smith. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 9, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in New Jersey's 4th Congressional District?
Chris Smith has the strongest record in New Jersey's 4th Congressional District. Chris Smith scores 73 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Chris Smith's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Rachel Peace (6 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in New Jersey's 4th Congressional District in 2026?
Rachel Peace (Democratic), Chris Smith (Republican, incumbent). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Rachel Peace a good candidate for Congress?
Rachel Peace has public evidence on 6 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
Is Chris Smith a good candidate for Congress?
Chris Smith scores 73 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria: character 56 of 100, qualifications 80 of 100, performance 81 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every New Jersey race scored, and the New Jersey 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.