NJ-04: Union electrician, Navy veteran joins Democratic primary to take on Chris Smith (R)
A third Democrat is entering the race to take on Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester) in the 4th congressional district, making for an unexpectedly crowded Democratic primary for New Jersey’s most conservative House seat.
John Blake, a union electrician and Navy veteran from Brick Township, will run next year to unseat Smith, who has represented the 4th district for more than four decades. Blake said that, as someone who’s spent his time in blue-collar jobs rather than in the world of politics, he understands what the residents of Monmouth and Ocean Counties need out of their congressional representative.
“If you’re a normal, everyday guy, and you’re unhappy with the way things are going – no matter who you voted for – and you’re hoping for some kind of reprieve, I’m your guy,” Blake said. “If you’re looking for a guy who’s going to fight for your rights, who’s going to fight for the average, blue-collar American worker, I’m your guy.”
Blake has never run for office before, though he’s the chairman of the veterans’ committee in his local union, the International Brother of Electrical Workers Local 400. He joins a Democratic primary that also includes Julie Flynn, a Rutgers University writing professor, and Keith Doll, a registered nurse at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
https://newjerseyglobe.com/congress/union-electrician-navy-veteran-joins-democratic-primary-to-take-on-chris-smith/
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