The Politicians Who Almost Never Were

“Although these no doubt play a role, even a cursory glance at recent election results (not to mention those of the past) makes clear that variables beyond the control of the candidate are often determinative, as well as that the best man does not necessarily win.”

In 1980, just two years removed from his 1978 defeat to incumbent Congressman Frank Thompson by 24 points, Chris Smith, a 27-year-old employee of his family’s sporting goods business, was elected to the United States House of Representatives. Arguably running as just token opposition to the longtime incumbent in the 1980 rematch, events intervened. In February of that year, Congressman Thompson was one of the six members of Congress implicated in the Abscam scandal. Along with three of the other implicated members of Congress, Congressman Thompson persisted in running for re-election despite his indictment. (Only one, Congressman John Jenrette, would win re-election.) In a nearly mirror image result from 1980, then-candidate Smith won with approximately 57% of the vote. (1)

Given that Congressman Smith had little previous political experience and due to the long-standing Democratic tilt of the New Jersey district he now represented, the press at the time considered his victory a fluke and predicted that he would almost certainly be a one-term Congressman. To this point, following a debate with his 1982 re-election opponent, former New Jersey state Senate president Joseph P. Merlino, Merlino allegedly said to Congressman Smith, “Beat it, kid…I’m talking to the press. When I get to Washington, look me up. I may give you a job as a page.” But, come November, Congressman Smith did the impossible for a second time and dispatched with Merlino, winning 53% of the vote.

Today, Congressman Smith is the dean of New Jersey’s congressional delegation and has served longer than any member of Congress in the history of the state. Congressman Smith and Congressman Hal Rogers of Kentucky are currently the two longest-tenured members of the House, and between January of 2019 and when fellow New Jersey Congressman Jeff Van Drew switched parties to become a Republican in December of that year, Congressman Smith was the only Republican member of New Jersey’s congressional delegation.