Republican · New Jersey's 4th District · 2026
Chris Smith
Smith worked in his family's sporting goods business before entering Congress at 27.
Biography
Chris Smith met his wife, Marie, more than 50 years ago in the movement opposing abortion.1 In an October 2026 speech, he recalled the days they spent lobbying at New Jersey's state capital.1 They live in Manchester Township and have four children.2
Born in Rahway and raised in Iselin, Smith worked in his family's sporting goods business as director of institutional sales.3 His education included business studies at Trenton State College and a semester at Worcester College in England.3 He also served as executive director of the New Jersey Right to Life Committee before entering Congress.3 First elected in 1980, he is now in his 23rd House term.3
His legislative work includes sponsoring the House bill that became the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000, establishing protections and penalties against human trafficking.34 He also sponsored the 2014 Autism CARES Act, which supported federal autism research and related programs.35
Smith currently chairs Foreign Affairs' Africa Subcommittee and cochairs the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission.3 He also cochairs the Congressional Executive Commission on China and previously chaired the House Veterans' Affairs Committee.3 Opposition to abortion remains a stated priority, alongside his work on human rights and veterans' issues.12 He faces Democrat Rachel Peace in the 2026 election.2
Record and controversies
Mifepristone safety statistic
In his October 8 remarks, Smith repeated an estimate that serious adverse events after mifepristone abortions occur at least 22 times as often as the figure on the FDA label.1 That estimate comes from an Ethics and Public Policy Center analysis of insurance claims; reproductive health researchers criticized its undisclosed data source and classification of additional treatment as serious adverse events.6 EPPC says confidentiality protected its vendor and that clinicians reviewed its coding and classifications.6 FDA's published guidance describes the approved regimen as safe and effective for its indicated use.7 October 8 reporting said FDA's review continued, with an agency report expected by March 2027.8