Josh Zeitz

Fourth District residents are getting calls from Hillary Clinton.

Clinton recorded a robocall for Democrat Josh Zeitz, who’s challenging U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-Hamilton) – the longest-serving incumbent in the state.

“Hi, this is Senator Hillary Clinton calling to ask you to vote for Josh Zeitz for Congress on Tuesday, November 4th,” she says in the call. “Josh Zeitz knows that your priorities are to repair this broken economy and ensure that all Americans receive quality, affordable health care, and these will be his priorities in Congress.”

In the 4th Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-Hamilton) and Democratic challenger Josh Zeitz have two joint editorial board meetings scheduled before election day. Whether those count as debates depends on who you ask.

According to Zeitz, they don’t count, and Smith has ignored legitimate third party invitations to engage in actual public debates.

“They’re not public. Members of public can’t attend them, and the public can’t ask questions,” he said.

U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-Long Branch) and 4th District Congressional District candidate Josh Zeitz want America to pull the plug on the war in Iraq.

Speaking on a conference call this afternoon, they tallied the $4.5 billion total cost of the six-year old war to the 4th and 6th districts, according to Obama presidential campaign spokesman Andrew Poag, and tied those numbers to the record and campaign rhetoric of GOP presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).

"We can’t afford another president who will continue George W. Bush’s failed foreign policies," said Pallone, one of four New Jersey congressmen who voted against the initial resolution authorizing Bush to go into Iraq. 

"Senator Barack Obama (who at the outset opposed the war in a speech he gave in 2002) has proposed a safe and responsible plan to bring our troops home, but John McCain has no plan to end the war," Pallone added.

Josh Zeitz, left, speaks to a Saturday crowd that includes Mercer County Executive Brian J. Hughes, right.: Politicker photo 

TRENTON - Since the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee last week listed the 4th Congressional race as one to watch, Democratic challenger Josh Zeitz has received, on average, cash commitments of $10,000 per day for his campaign, according to spokesman Steven D’Amico.

"It’s more than what we were getting before," said D’Amico, who wouldn’t specify exactly how much more.

Bolstered by the cash infusion, Zeitz took the floor at Saturday’s Obama HQ opening and declared that Nov. 4th will usher in a Democratic sweep.

Fourth district congressional candidate Josh Zeitz has been added to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s “races to watch” list.

The placement could put Zeitz, who’s challenging long-term incumbent U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-Hamilton), on deck to receive fundraising help from the DCCC over the next two months.

The “races to watch” category is the third tier of the group’s prospects. The first tier – the “Red to Blue” program - provides fundraising help in the most competitive districts. Assemblywoman Linda Stender, who’s running against Republican state Sen. Leonard Lance for an open seat in District 7, and State Sen. John Adler, who’s running Republican Medford Mayor Chris Myers for an open seat in District 3, are in that program. Blind rabbi/psychologist Dennis Shulman, who’s running against U.S. Rep. Scott Garrett in the 5th District, is in the second tier “emerging races” program.

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The news today that Ashley Evans, 7, and her sister Sophia, 3, have been reunited with their father after being stuck in the Republic of Georgia after the Russian Army invasion two weeks ago essentially ends the campaign of Josh Zeitz, a college professor on an already long shot bid to oust fourteen-term Congressman Christopher Smith. Smith traveled to Georgia last week to meet with officials and has remained there to help facilitate the safety of the two girls, who live in Howell Township in the fourth district. Operatives from both parties say that Smith will have no trouble getting re-elected now, although some say he had no problems before the successful rescue mission.

Josh Zeitz, Democratic candidate for Congress in the 4th Josh Zeitz: Politicker file photoCongressional district, today mailed U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-Hamilton) an invitation to four public debates, in honor of the 150th anniversary of the Lincoln-Douglass debates.

Zeitz asked Smith to join him at one public debate in each of the 4th district’s counties.

"The rising cost of food, gas, health care, and education is hurting many working families," wrote Zeitz. "People have a right to know how each of us proposes to address these grave problems, and they have a right to challenge us in a public forum.

Rep. Christopher Smith (R-Hamilton) isn’t taking his bid for a 15th term for granted, raising $143,300 over the last three months and now has $503,944 cash on hand.  His Democratic challenger, history professor Josh Zeitz, raised $108,101 during the same period.  Zeitz has raised $259,267 so far and has $124,535 in the bank.

Statewide, Zeitz ranks second in challenger fundraising.  Dennis Shulman, a blind Rabbi and psychologist running against Rep. Scott Garrett (R-Wantage) raised $270,000 last quarter, according to his campaign.  He has raised $585,000 so far, with $258,000 cash on hand.

Most New Jersey challengers are faring poorly in the fundraising game.