Chris Smith Afraid to Debate Schmid

Chris Smith hasn’t held a town hall in 27 years, and won’t commit to debating his opponent, Stephane Schmid. Why is Smith so afraid to face the public?

There are lots of pressing questions constituents could ask which would help everyone differentiate between the two candidates.

People could ask why Smith voted against the HEROES Act, which contained extra unemployment funding and state aid we desperately need. Schmid knew it was the best deal for NJ, and now the GOP says state aid is a non-starter.

Someone might ask why Smith voted against expanding the Affordable Care Act in the middle of a pandemic while millions lost employer based insurance, and voted against the law every chance he got until 2017. Schmid supports legislation that automatically enrolls underinsured and uninsured Americans into a safety-net program while allowing people to keep their own insurance.

Someone might inquire why Smith has said nothing about Trump and the GOP’s lies about vote by mail, attempts to sow doubt about the election results, or why he opposed renewing the Voting Rights Act in 2019. Schmid, a former Foreign Service Officer, has worked to strengthen democratic institutions internationally.

Many would ask Smith why he believes women shouldn’t make their own reproductive choices and why LGBT people aren’t deserving of their civil rights. Schmid worked for the Center for Reproductive Rights, and believes in equal rights for all.

It’s clear why Smith is afraid to face his constituents, but if he won’t, does he deserve them? — Greg DeLuca, Robbinsville