The Lakewood Vaad today endorsed longtime Congressman Chris Smith ahead next week’s Primary Elections.
“Although we generally don’t endorse for primaries, as not to be Matriach the Oilum, this year’s primary election is important, and we respectfully request that you make time to come out and vote. Please vote down the entire Column B.”
Smith is being challenged by newcomer Mike Crispi.
“Our longtime friend and Congressman, Chris Smith is being seriously challenged by a young newcomer. It is therefore critical that we show our unwaveringly support to Congressman Chris Smith.”
The Vaad added:
Simply put, Lakewood CANNOT afford to lose Chris Smith!
- Congressman Chris Smith has been a true friend of the greater Lakewood community for decades.
- Congressman Chris Smith is a strong and longtime promoter of Family Values.
- Congressman Chris Smith has advocated in Congress for the Lakewood Kehilla.
- Congressman Chris Smith’s staff has provided unparalleled constituent services to assist many Yechidim with wide variety of issues.
“Please vote for Congressman Chris Smith and the entire Column B.”
Special Voting Instructions: For this year’s primary election, there are more voting options:
- If you have a mail ballot, please mail it today!
- You can vote at your regular polling place on Tuesday June 7. Polls are open from 6:00am to 8:00pm.
- NEW OPTION! You can ‘vote early’ on Friday, June 3 from 10:00am to 8:00pm at any of the following locations:
Lakewood Municipal Building, 231 3rd Street, in the Courtroom.
Jackson Ocean County Library, 2 Jackson Drive.
Toms River Ocean County Library, 101 Washington Street
Manchester Ocean County Library, 21 Colonial Drive.
The following flyer was released by the Vaad:
Chris smith voted for Jan 6th witch hunt also Biden’s build back better plan the result is killing us with inflation among many others. Vote Mike crispi
Vote Mike crispi
Smith has indeed been good for many people over the last many years however if the vaad is endorsing him that makes me think that there are other reasons and if so it’s probably a good idea to vote for the other guy
Do we all remember what the vaad recommended last election??? Don’t be so fast to follow what they say without doing your own research….
Write in 2 individuals in your voting district for County Committee. L’gabei Chris Smith, we need him. Why give up his seniority ranking? Don’t make the mistake of those who voted against Trump and gave us Biden. Crispi is an unknown. He’s sharing the column with people with noted anti-Semitic connections. Please don’t make a mistake that will never be able to be undone.
Even though generally we should go with the card, but giving that Smith is a RINO. Go for Crispi.
Card I meant vaad.
I have no idea who Mike Crispi is but if the vaad says not to vote for him then EVERYBODY,PLEASE VOTE FOR HIM.GO MIKE CRISPI!!
You want gas prices to go up keep voting for vaad endorsed candidates. If you want Religious freedom vote MIKE CRISPI
The ballot shown is not what we received in the mail. The candidate for County Committee on clumn B was empty on the Vaad’s copy, saying “No Petition Filed” The one’s everyone received shows Ron Benvenisti (for a second term) unopposed. So the someone altered the Vaad ballot. Is that even legal?
That’s not the “OFFICIAL BALLOT” as claimed. Check yours.
Mike Crispi here. I would love to discuss you’re recent endorsement. My policies seem to be way more Aligned with you’re community than Chris smith. Hope to hear back.
Please take a basic English course before running for Congress. (Unless your position is an attempt to underscore the poor state of public education…) Mixing up YOUR and YOU’RE is not an autocorrect issue. Neither is random capitalization….
lol!
Why would vaad get involved in a primary contest? And furthermore endorse a weak anti Trump pro crt etc. candidate. VOTE MIKE CRISPI!
Just because Chris Smith voted for the Build Back Better plan, that doesn’t make him a RINO. He explained his reason for supporting the plan, and his explanation made sense to me.
There are a number of pieces of legislation that Chris Smith supported, or sponsored, that were clearly solidly conservative.
I remember, back in the Tea Party days, there were lawmakers and publicly elected officials that clearly had staunch conservative records, and they were labeled RINOs because there was a misguided feeling that they weren’t strongly supportive of certain conservative issues. I believe that, with regards to some of those elected officials, these claims were exaggerated and misguided.
As an example, there was a former Republican congressman, who was very influential. He was also very strong in his support of conservative issues, and strong in his opposition to various Liberal proposals. But he was branded a RINO because they claimed he wasn’t strong enough when it came to immigration. In my view, this claim was exaggerated. I also believe that there were other Republican lawmakers who were less stronger than him on this issue, and yet, for some reason, their status as Tea Party darlings never diminished.
I won’t name the aforementioned congressman because I don’t want stir up unjust criticism of him here.
Bottom line: I haven’t done any research on Mike Crispi; he might be a great candidate for all I know. But I do know that Chris Smith has taken on issues to help individuals who are in dire straits. And he has also been there for the Lakewood community when needed. I also believe he has strong conservative credentials.
Of course we all have different opinions; I am merely stating my opinion.
I need to make an important correction and clarification here on what I said in my previous comment:
Chris Smith DID NOT support Biden’s Build Back Better plan. He opposed it and spoke out against it.
Smith, DID support Biden’s infrastructure plan.
Mr. Smith noted that the two pieces of legislation were separate, and that he opposed the Build Back Better plan but supported the infrastructure plan. He listed a whole host of reasons as to why he opposed the Build Back Better plan.
With regards to the Infrastructure plan, Smith explained that he had supported president Trump’s proposed $2 Billion infrastructure bill, and that he also supported Biden’s $1.2 Billion infrastructure bill.
He explained why he felt it was imperative of him to support the bill. Some might argue with his reasoning, but I am completely satisfied with his explanation. And I don’t believe that his support of the bill, in any way, makes him a RINO.
Sorry about the mistake I previously made on Smith’s positions.
One final note: Smith’s support of the infrastructure bill was mostly due to the fact that he felt New Jersey’s infrastructure – including tunnels, railroad tracks and bridges etc.- was in bad condition and posed a danger to New Jersey commuters.
Will the vaad and the 1 gentleman above who wants us to vote for Chris smith reimburse me for the 3 points added to inflation due to a bill Chris smith voted for?
Thank you Chris Smith for being a loyal friend of our community for decades! I support you regardless of the Vaads endorsement.
Chris Smith is an amazing friend of the yidden.
Go Chris Smith!
Mike Crispi running mate is Ashley Lamb. Ashley Lamb is Married to Justin lamb which is a bigot and put horrible stuff about Lakewood and the Frum community on his campaign flyers.
I’m not sure how anyone can think about voting for Crispi after that.
“who,” not “which.”
Love the comments go MIKE CRISPI !!!!!
Some of these comments are really uneducated and babyish. While I do not always vote as per the Vaad (I voted for Chiattarelli), and am a hard-working non-programmer who is definitely feeling the inflation pinch, Chis Smith has proven himself (many times over) to be a friend of our community. His infrastructure vote was complicated and I won’t go into a whole discussion about it now, but I cannot understand why in the world would someone turn their back on him and vote for an unknown. Simply to spite the Vaad? Because Trump doesn’t like him? I really hope most of Lakewood is smart enough to realize those are extremely foolish reasons.
Hate to break it too you Congressman don’t have running mates you appear to know as much politics as the vaad
Chris Smith is the best legislator in the House. His bills are fair and pass often and he truly helps individuals. He backs important conservative causes. I voted against the vast candidate before. This time I’m voting with them. It’s the person that counts!
Smith did not vote for Build Back Better. What else is Crispi lying about? Smith has always been there for us. What else is Crispi lying about? Snith actively fights against anti-Semitism. What else is Crispi lying about? Smith went to the Soviet Union many times to help Jews get out. What else is Crispi lying about. Trump did not endorse Crispi. What else is Crispi lying about. Smith voted for much of Trump’s legislation. What else is Crispi lying about. Smith does not have Jew haters as friends. Crispi is backed by Jew haters. What else is Crispi lying about.
I’m assuming the comment that was said about build back better Was Referring to the infrastructure bill. Regardless it was a terrible move which economist say Added A big part too inflation (I didn’t grow up in Lakewood so I had economics classes and believe it or not printing more money cause inflation) he is the one of the most moderate Republicans in Congress and Chris Smith does not represent our values I hope the residence of Lakewood can think for themselves and do the right thing to vote with Torah values vote Mike Crispi
Can the vaad not get into politics please? It seems that the askanim funding and running the vaad are not affected by these policies (inflation). But to those of us who are struggling to put food on the table it DOES make a difference. Please join me in voting for Mike.
The ballot shown is from District 11. Mr. Benvenisti represents District 26. There is no County Lakewood Rep for District 11, that is why it is blank.
Mike Crispi did not submit the comment above. However, Mike Crispi is happy to discuss the issues that matter to Lakewood anytime.
Smith is a liberal who has betrayed our values over and over:
– he voted to SAVE the abortion-funding Obamacare
– he voted for HR 550 – a federal vaccine database
– he voted for critical race theory, (HR 2639)
– he voted for the January 6 Witch Hunt Commission
– he opposes the Second Amendment so much that he’s endorsed by the major gun control PACs and is even co-sponsoring a gun control bill with AOC, (HR 8).
Smith tries to deny these FACTS, but there’s no denying them… Smith voted with Pelosi, Schiff, and AOC on all of these bills while the conservatives we can trust like Jim Jordan and even Jeff Van Drew OPPOSED Smith.
Smith has lost his way. Deep down, everyone knows it. It’s time for him to go.
Contact the campaign anytime for more information.
[email protected] or (732) 737-8071.