10/22/2026
From the Asbury Park Press:
I'm a NJ conservative. Why Rep. Chris Smith has lost my vote | Opinion
https://www.app.com/story/opinion/2026/10/22/im-a-nj-conservative-why-i-cant-vote-for-rep-chris-smith-opinion/92233943007/
I'm a NJ conservative. Why Rep. Chris Smith has lost my vote | Opinion
Earl KingSpecial to the USA TODAY Network
Oct. 22, 2026, 4:35 a.m. ET
Editor's note: We reached out to Congressman Smith's campaign by phone and email and offered the opportunity to provide a rebuttal to this article. As of our deadline, they had not responded.
I am against populism. Sadly, political candidates in both parties are succumbing to populism. It is pablum; it is a promise to buy your vote. It appeals not to sacrifice but to human gluttony.
My congressman, Chris Smith, has been in Congress since 1981. He is asking for another two years, and I have to ask: what for?
The representative has become a Trump supporter. At one point, you could have said he was a bit of a throwback to the East Coast Republican of yesteryear. He once voted for a cap-and-trade system for carbon. Yet he does not defend conservative principles — and neither does Trump.
Conservatives believe in limited government and constitutional constraints. Does Trump? We believe in individual liberty and personal responsibility. We believe in the Rule of Law. The pardoning of convicted criminals who assaulted policemen on Jan. 6th is proof that Trump does not believe in the above.
Fiscal responsibility is a tenet of conservative thought. You can throw that one out the window. This year our annual deficit will be somewhere around $2.1
trillion. Trump promised to lower our deficit and debt, yet the One Big Beautiful Bill will add trillions to it.
Chris Smith should have worked to ensure the OBBB bill was fiscally sound and aligned with conservative principles. For example, ICE was given an additional $75 billion for multiyear use. That is seven times the amount given to the FBI annually.
Conservatives do not want to expand the federal government's power. We believe in the 10th Amendment. Local control is best rather than being controlled by Washington, D.C. Conservatives do not want the federal government to run elections as Trump desires.
The One Big Beautiful Bill has added to our deficit and debt. This, in turn, is adding to the cost of servicing our debt and has led bond buyers to demand higher interest rates. Chris Smith is not a fiscal conservative. Voting for this One Big Beautiful Bill reflects that. This is not watching taxpayer money.
Conservatives believe in a strong national defense. Trump's actions have degraded alliances. Collective security is protection;
America going it alone is not. His ill-conceived war with Iran has imperiled our missile stocks and is causing severe morale problems, with deployments being extended. His unauthorized war with Iran is damaging the U.S. military. He never went to Congress or the American people and explained why he had to take this step.
Finally, conservatives have respect for institutions. As far as I am aware, Trump respects none. In February 2025, the Administration announced the cancellation of $60 billion in authorized foreign aid grants and contracts. This reflects the choice of Congress. There is no evidence that Trump respects Congress. In fact, there is little evidence that Republicans in Congress respect it.
Chesterton's Fence is a principle of conservative thought. It says before you tear a fence down, you should first know why it is there. According to the New York Times, one-third of CDC employees have either been fired or quit. That is probably not optimal for addressing the public health issues of measles, Ebola and cyclosporiasis outbreaks.
Trump and his narcissism, along with his corrupt ethics, have ruined the Republican Party; it will take years to wipe away the stain of his kakistocracy. We may not have even seen the worst he can do. Are any of you sure he won't attempt to overturn the midterms? He already tried to overturn one election.
To save the Republican Party, it must suffer a defeat so decisive that MAGA is consigned to the dustbin of history.
I am voting against Chris Smith because he does not support the above principles of conservatism. He has succumbed to populist pablum and the cult of personality that surrounds MAGA.
As a senior member of Congress, now in his 46th year, he should be able to stand up for conservative principles if he believes in them. If he doesn't, he is not a conservative, and he doesn't deserve my vote.
Earl King is a retired advertising executive and paramedic. He has lived in Colts Neck since 1992.
As a conservative, what am I supposed to do when the party has broken faith with our principles? Republicans like Rep. Smith have lost my vote.
