Stephanie Schmid Offers Real Leadership

Chris Smith claims he is “a leader we can trust,” but Smith’s versions of “leadership” and “trust” leave much to be desired. This election, residents of the Fourth Congressional District have an opportunity to elect a real leader who will fight for NJ families: Stephanie Schmid

Would a leader spend his career denying women the right to control their own bodies?
Smith has voted to restrict access to and allow employers to fire women who use birth control. He’s against anything that prevents implantation, meaning the IUD and pill are potentially unacceptable “abortifacients.” He’s tried to ban all abortion. He also sponsored a bill expanding a ban on federal funds for abortion that only allowed exceptions in cases of “forcible rape.” This means Smith only views rape as “real” if survivors are beaten. And since statutory rape was never included as “forcible rape,” Smith would have held underage girls accountable to the consequences of an assault by requiring them to carry their rapist’s baby.

Stephanie Schmid has worked as an attorney for the Center for Reproductive Rights, and helped develop the “Reproductive Rights are Human Rights” Act. She knows the harm caused by Smith’s repressive policies. She will be a fierce advocate for reproductive rights because she understands that they are a moral imperative and economic boon to women around the world.
Would a leader spend his career denying civil rights to LGBT citizens?

Smith has famously said that “he does not construe homosexual rights as human rights.” He opposed marriage equality at every turn, supported legislation that allowed employers to fire people for being LGBT, and was willing to sacrifice the Violence Against Women Act when LGBT protections were added.

Stephanie Schmid will fight for equal rights for all of our fellow citizens regardless of who they love, because the Constitution and human decency demand it.

Should we trust someone, like Smith, who lied about the Affordable Care Act by saying it would ruin Medicaid, Medicare, and the economy? Who voted against the law for years? Would a leader remain silent while his party almost removed healthcare from 20 million Americans? Would a leader vote against expanding the ACA in the middle of a pandemic?

Stephanie Schmid supports a healthcare plan which automatically enrolls uninsured or underinsured individuals in a safety-net program while allowing people to keep their private plans. This way, households won’t go broke over medical bills or end up uninsured when a family member is unemployed.

Should we trust someone, like Smith, who voted against the HEROES Act, which included aid for our state government, extended unemployment benefits, assistance to prevent evictions and foreclosures, and a repeal of the SALT cap? Who let Mitch McConnell’s false “blue state bailout” narrative take hold to the point where state aid is now a non-starter for the GOP?
Stephanie Schmid knew the HEROES Act was the best deal for New Jersey. She would have fought for us in these difficult times.

Would a leader stay silent while Trump said that Democrats, the CDC, and the FDA are lying about coronavirus to hurt him electorally? Or retweeted articles claiming the real COVID death toll is 9,000? What about Trump deliberately lying about the dangers of the virus, risking supporters' lives at indoor rallies, or pressuring his appointees to influence CDC reports? Chris Smith hasn’t said a word.

Stephanie Schmid has served our country as a Foreign Service Officer in nations experiencing a health crisis. She would never let life-saving science be ignored or manipulated for political gain.
Would a leader stay silent while Trump repeatedly lied about vote-by-mail, primed his base to assume a delay caused by counting mail-in ballots equates to a stolen election, and admitted to undermining the Postal Service to disenfranchise voters? What about a President who ignores Russian election interference and instead still calls it a “hoax”? Not a word from Chris Smith.
During her time as a Foreign Service Officer, Stephanie Schmid worked to strengthen democratic institutions internationally. She will not passively watch as a president sows doubt about the legitimacy of our elections.

And how does Smith “lead” while hiding from constituents and refusing to hold a town hall for 27 years?

Stephanie Schmid has pledged to hold thirty-nine town halls in her first term, has challenged Smith to three public debates, and he only participated in one. Stephanie will be a true leader both accessible and accountable to her constituents who fights for us with her voice and her vote. The Fourth Congressional District deserves real leadership we can trust. To get it, we should elect Stephanie Schmid.