NY-04: Democratic socialist will run against Chris Smith

The Democratic primary to run against Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester) in New Jersey’s most inhospitably conservative district is gaining another contender.

Peter Linardakis, a 25-year-old Rutgers Law School student from Brick, has become the latest Democrat to announce a run for the 4th congressional district, which covers parts of Monmouth and Ocean Counties and which has been represented by Smith since 1981. And unlike many of the more moderate Democrats who have run for the seat in the past, Linardakis is democratic socialist, and argues that an unabashedly progressive and working-class campaign is what it will take to win.

“I still see Democrats running scared from voters,” Linardakis told the New Jersey Globe. “They don’t want to stand on their values and make the case to voters directly… I believe that voters can sense that inauthenticity and will firmly reject it.”

Four other Democrats are already running for the seat: small businesswoman Rachel Peace, professor Julie Flynn, union electrician John Blake, and local activist Bob English. At their convention earlier this month, Monmouth County Democrats awarded Peace their official endorsement, with Flynn and Blake not too far behind.



https://newjerseyglobe.com/congress/democratic-socialist-will-run-against-chris-smith-in-nj-4/