TOMS RIVER, NJ – The rift between the Ocean County GOP and former U.S. President Donald J. Trump has come to light after the party establishment elite voted in a closed-door session, behind armed police security to unanimously endorse Republican incumbent Chris Smith for Congress.
Smith has been one of about a dozen Republican congresspeople targeted by the former President after voting in favor of the Democrat-sponsored infrastructure bill backed by Nancy Pelosi and President Joe Biden.
The vote gave President Biden a much-needed political win at a time when the President’s agenda was stalling at all levels.
The unanimous vote by the insider “County Council” went in Smith’s favor behind closed doors. Trump said he would back a candidate who runs a primary against Smith back in November.
“Any interest from good and SMART America First Republican Patriots to run primary campaigns against Representative Chris Smith?” Trump said. “You will have my backing…There is “almost” nobody worse!”
Last year the split between Trump and local party leaders became evident when the party endorsed Jack Ciattarelli for Governor. Ciattarelli had called the former president “charlatan” who was “unfit to be president”.
After the January 6th Capitol incursion, Ocean County GOP Chairman Frank Holman said it was time for Ocean County to turn the page on the Trump era.
“As we recover from our depression of this week, let us rededicate ourselves to improving our country. Let’s work hard to elect leaders who can unite us. Let’s look to God for guidance. Let us dust off our Abraham Lincoln biography. He led us through our country’s darkest time,” Holman said.
One of the people casting a vote for Smith in last night’s election was Todd Porter, the President of the Jackson Township Republican Club, one of the “Trumpiest” towns in America. Porter had been censured by RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel after saying he wanted to blast satanic music in the parks to scare out Orthodox Jewish families.
After January 6th, Porter said Trump and his supporters can “Get right the f-ck out of this party”.
The Ocean County GOP was in attendance at the January 6th Capitol incursion, but Holman said his delegates were not a party to the civil unrest.
“Please know that the Ocean County contingent who traveled to Washington protested peacefully and returned home safely without incident,” Holman added.