First elected to the House near the end of Jimmy Carter’s presidency, Chris Smith was left as the sole Republican representing New Jersey until his colleague Jeff Van Drew switched parties in 2020. That role has made Smith one of the most bipartisan co-sponsors of legislation in the House and one of the most prolific sponsors of bills enacted into law among his colleagues. Smith is one of Congress’s leading opponents of abortion and a vocal defender of global human rights. Smith became interested in politics after an internship with a state senator. In 1976, he became executive director of the New Jersey Right to Life Committee before running for Congress (and losing) at the age of 24.

Learn what Chris Smith says about finding common ground