| State: | New Jersey |
| District Number: | 4 |
| Image Caption: | Interactive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2023 |
| Party: | Republican |
| Residence: | Manchester Township |
| Disamb: | Ocean County |
| Percent Urban: | 95.08 |
| Percent Rural: | 4.92 |
| Population: | 786,940 |
| Population Year: | 2022 |
| Median Income: | $90,090[1] |
| Percent White: | 80.5 |
| Percent Hispanic: | 10.3 |
| Percent Black: | 3.3 |
| Percent Asian: | 2.5 |
| Percent More Than One Race: | 2.7 |
| Percent Other Race: | 0.7 |
| Cpvi: | R+14[2] |
New Jersey's 4th congressional district is a congressional district that stretches along the New Jersey Shore. It has been represented by Republican Chris Smith since 1981, the second-longest currently serving member of the US House of Representatives and the longest serving member of Congress from New Jersey in history.
Although the 4th district had a presence in Mercer County for decades, it lost its two towns in the county (Hamilton and Robbinsville) following the redistricting process in late 2021, which was based on the 2020 census. The district is currently contained to Monmouth County and Ocean County. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of R+14, it is the most Republican district in New Jersey,[2] and it is also the only one that did not elect a Democrat since 2018.[3]
For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 Census), the district contains all or portions of two counties and 40 municipalities.[4]
Municipalities in the district are:[5] [6]
Monmouth County (19)
Avon-By-The-Sea, Belmar, Brielle, Colts Neck Township, Eatontown, Farmingdale, Freehold Township (part; also 3rd), Howell Township, Lake Como, Manasquan, Middletown Township (part; also 6th), Ocean Township, Sea Girt, Shrewsbury, Shrewsbury Township, Spring Lake, Spring Lake Heights, Tinton Falls, Wall Township
Ocean County (21)
Beachwood, Berkeley Township (part; also 2nd), Bay Head, Brick, Island Heights, Jackson Township, Lacey (part; also 2nd), Lakehurst, Lakewood Township, Lavallette, Manchester Township, Mantoloking, Ocean Gate, Pine Beach, Point Pleasant Beach, Point Pleasant, Plumsted Township, Seaside Heights, Seaside Park, South Toms River, Toms River
| Year | Office | Results | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | President | Gore 50 - 46% | |
| 2004 | President | Bush 56 - 44% | |
| 2008 | President | McCain 52 - 47% | |
| 2012 | President | Romney 54 - 45% | |
| 2016 | President | Trump 56 - 41% | |
| 2017 | Governor | Guadagno 56% - 42% | |
| 2020 | President | Trump 55 - 44% | |
| 2020 | Senate | Mehta 55.0% - 43.4% | |
| 2021 | Governor | Ciattarellli 60% - 40% |
| Member | Party | Years | Cong ress | Electoral History | Counties/Towns | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District established March 4, 1799 | ||||||||
| align=left | James H. Imlay | Federalist | nowrap | March 4, 1799 – March 3, 1801 | Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1798. Retired. | 1799–1801 Burlington and Monmouth | ||
| District dissolved March 3, 1801 | ||||||||
| District re-established March 4, 1843 | ||||||||
| align=left | Littleton Kirkpatrick | Democratic | nowrap | March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1845 | Elected in 1842. Retired. | 1843–1845 Middlesex, Morris, and Somerset | ||
| align=left | Joseph E. Edsall | Democratic | nowrap | March 4, 1845 – March 3, 1847 | Elected in 1844. Redistricted to the . | 1845–1847 Morris, Sussex, and Warren | ||
| align=left | John Van Dyke | Whig | nowrap | March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1851 | Elected in 1846. Re-elected in 1848. Retired. | 1847–1853 Middlesex, Morris, and Somerset | ||
| align=left | George H. Brown | Whig | nowrap | March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1853 | Elected in 1850. Retired. | |||
| align=left | George Vail | Democratic | nowrap | March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1857 | Elected in 1852. Re-elected in 1854. Retired. | 1853–1863 Bergen, Morris, Passaic, and Sussex | ||
| align=left | John Huyler | Democratic | nowrap | March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1859 | Elected in 1856. Lost re-election as a Lecompton Democrat. | |||
| align=left | Jetur R. Riggs | Anti-Lecompton Democratic | nowrap | March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1861 | Elected in 1858. Retired. | |||
| align=left | George T. Cobb | Democratic | nowrap | March 4, 1861 – March 3, 1863 | Elected in 1860. Retired. | |||
| align=left | Andrew J. Rogers | Democratic | nowrap | March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1867 | Elected in 1862. Re-elected in 1864. Lost re-election. | 1863–1873 Bergen, Essex (except Newark), Morris, Passaic, and Sussex | ||
| align=left | John Hill | Republican | nowrap | March 4, 1867 – March 3, 1873 | Elected in 1866. Re-elected in 1868. Re-elected in 1870. Retired. | |||
| align=left | Robert Hamilton | Democratic | nowrap | March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1877 | Elected in 1872. Re-elected in 1874. Retired. | 1873–1893 Hunterdon, Somerset, Sussex, and Warren | ||
| align=left | Alvah A. Clark | Democratic | nowrap | March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1881 | Elected in 1876. Re-elected in 1878. Retired. | |||
| align=left | Henry S. Harris | Democratic | nowrap | March 4, 1881 – March 3, 1883 | Elected in 1880. Lost re-election. | |||
| align=left | Benjamin F. Howey | Republican | nowrap | March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1885 | Elected in 1882. Retired. | |||
| align=left | James N. Pidcock | Democratic | nowrap | March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1889 | Elected in 1884. Re-elected in 1886. Retired. | |||
| align=left | Samuel Fowler | Democratic | nowrap | March 4, 1889 – March 3, 1893 | Elected in 1888. Re-elected in 1890. Retired. | |||
| align=left | Johnston Cornish | Democratic | nowrap | March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1895 | Elected in 1892. Lost re-election. | 1893–1903 Hunterdon, Morris, Sussex, and Warren | ||
| align=left | Mahlon Pitney | Republican | nowrap | March 4, 1895 – January 10, 1899 | Elected in 1894. Re-elected in 1896. Re-elected in 1898 but resigned on election to New Jersey State Senate. | |||
| Vacant | nowrap | January 10, 1899 – March 3, 1899 | ||||||
| align=left | Joshua S. Salmon | Democratic | nowrap | March 4, 1899 – May 6, 1902 | Elected to finish Pitney's term. Re-elected in 1900. Died. | |||
| Vacant | nowrap | May 6, 1902 – June 18, 1902 | ||||||
| align=left | De Witt C. Flanagan | Democratic | nowrap | June 18, 1902 – March 3, 1903 | Elected to finish Salmon's term. Retired. | |||
| align=left | William M. Lanning | Republican | nowrap | March 4, 1903 – June 6, 1904 | Elected in 1902. Resigned on appointment as district judge of 3rd circuit. | 1903–1933 Hunterdon, Mercer, and Somerset | ||
| Vacant | nowrap | June 6, 1904 – November 8, 1904 | ||||||
| align=left | Ira W. Wood | Republican | nowrap | November 8, 1904 – March 3, 1913 | Elected to finish Lanning's term. Also elected to the next full term. Re-elected in 1906. Re-elected in 1908. Re-elected in 1910. Retired. | |||
| align=left | Allan B. Walsh | Democratic | nowrap | March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1915 | Elected in 1912. Lost re-election. | |||
| align=left | Elijah C. Hutchinson | Republican | nowrap | March 4, 1915 – March 3, 1923 | Elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1916. Re-elected in 1918. Re-elected in 1920. Lost re-election. | |||
| align=left | Charles Browne | Democratic | nowrap | March 4, 1923 – March 3, 1925 | Elected in 1922. Lost re-election. | |||
| align=left | Charles A. Eaton | Republican | nowrap | March 4, 1925 – March 3, 1933 | Elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Re-elected in 1928. Re-elected in 1930. Redistricted to the . | |||
| align=left | D. Lane Powers | Republican | nowrap | March 4, 1933 – August 30, 1945 | Elected in 1932. Re-elected in 1934. Re-elected in 1936. Re-elected in 1938. Re-elected in 1940. Re-elected in 1942. Re-elected in 1944. Resigned to become member of New Jersey Public Utilities Commission. | 1933–1967 Burlington and Mercer | ||
| Vacant | nowrap | August 30, 1945 – November 6, 1945 | ||||||
| align=left | Frank A. Mathews Jr. | Republican | nowrap | November 6, 1945 – January 3, 1949 | Elected to finish Powers's term. Re-elected in 1946. Retired. | |||
| align=left | Charles R. Howell | Democratic | nowrap | January 3, 1949 – January 3, 1955 | Elected in 1948. Re-elected in 1950. Re-elected in 1952. Retired to run for U.S. senator. | |||
| align=left rowspan=4 | Frank Thompson Jr. | Democratic | January 3, 1955 – December 29, 1980 | Elected in 1954. Re-elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. Re-elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Re-elected in 1972. Re-elected in 1974. Re-elected in 1976. Re-elected in 1978. Lost re-election and resigned early. | ||||
| 1967–1971: Hunterdon, Mercer, Sussex, and Warren | ||||||||
| 1971–1973: | ||||||||
| 1973–1983: Parts of Burlington, Mercer, Middlesex, and Ocean | ||||||||
| Vacant | nowrap | December 29, 1980 – January 3, 1981 | ||||||
| align=left rowspan=9 | Chris Smith | Republican | January 3, 1981 – present | Elected in 1980. Re-elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Re-elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. | ||||
| 1983–1985: Parts of Burlington, Mercer, Middlesex, and Monmouth | ||||||||
| 1985–1993: Parts of Burlington, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, and Ocean | ||||||||
| 1993–2003: Parts of Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth, and Ocean | ||||||||
| 2003–2013: Parts of Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth, and Ocean | ||||||||
| 2013–2023: Parts of Mercer, Monmouth, and Ocean | ||||||||
| 2023–present: Parts of Monmouth and Ocean | ||||||||