Election Debate

Why does Chris Smith not want to debate Josh Welle?

For the first time in a long while, New Jersey’s 4th District has a strong new candidate for its congressional seat. Josh Welle, a Navy Veteran and entrepreneur, has been conducting an energetic campaign in the District, meeting with people, listening to their concerns and promoting an actionable suite of policies.

Why is incumbent Chris Smith refusing to meet Welle for a debate? We know that Smith has not faced his constituency in a public forum for decades, refusing to hold town halls, which he considers a waste of time, and only appearing in the District for photo opportunities.

But what is his reason for avoiding debate? Surely as a legislator with nearly four decades’ experience, he cannot be afraid of Welle. Is it simply that he also considers a debate to be a waste of time?

Voters in NJ04 should be asking themselves this question: why support a Congressmen who does not respect his constituents enough to stand before them and defend his positions? A Congressional seat must not be a lifetime appointment to be rubber-stamped by the voters every two years.

NJ04 needs a new representative in Washington, one who is not afraid to take tough questions from constituents. Josh Welle will be that representative.

— Richard Sproat, Hamilton