3rd-Party Candidate In 4th District Race Talks To Patch

HOLMDEL, NJ — On Aug. 9, Patch published a 5-question interview with the two men seeking to represent the fourth congressional district in Congress. Rep. Chris Smith, the area's longtime Republican congressman, is facing a challenge this November from Democrat Josh Welle.

But there is a third-party candidate in the race, as well: Dr. Felicia Stoler, a registered dietitian who lives in Holmdel. Stoler grew up in the 4th congressional district and raised her children there. She has a private practice in Red Bank and was host of the second season of the TLC series "Honey, We're Killing the Kids!" She also authored "Living Skinny in Fat Genes: The Healthy Way to Lose Weight and Feel Great." A registered Republican, she is the third-party Independent running for Congress this fall.

The mid-term election is Nov. 6. See this map here to find out if live in New Jersey's Fourth Congressional District, which includes Holmdel, parts of Middletown, Colts Neck, Manalapan and down into Howell and Wall, as well Hamilton and Robbinsville in Mercer County: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

Patch asked Stoler the same five questions we asked Congressman Smith and Welle, and here are her answers: (Here are their answers, too.)

What are the top three issues facing America/New Jersey right now and how do you intend to fight them in Washington?

I’ve been going out and meeting constituents almost daily; making my way around the district to meet with small businesses. Why? Because let’s face it, we are less likely to answer the door when a stranger knocks, hang up or ignore phone numbers we don’t know or suspect are solicitations. I’ve been an entrepreneur for 20 years in NJ. It’s been invigorating meeting people, face-to-face, who have not self-selected to show up at an event. They appreciate my coming to their place of business to introduce myself to them, tell them what I’m about and more importantly, ask them what is important to THEM and their families. I’ve been able to share my story about work, serving the state of NJ on the Governor’s appointed Council on Physical Fitness and Sports for over 15 years, doing volunteer advocacy about preventative health in DC for just as long, being an educator, and being a single mom. As a REPRESENTATIVE, we should go out TO the people we will represent and meet them ourselves. They pay our salaries and let’s face it, I’m interviewing for the job. Here is here is what they’ve told me:

1. Taxes – while the recent federal tax legislation helped many people … it did very little for the people in NJ. In fact, it was worse for people in NJ because we have VERY high property taxes in NJ. I try to explain to people that they really need to exercise their right to vote. NJ had the lowest voter turnout in 2017. Just about one-third of registered voters voted. I remind people there are many incumbents in the NJ Legislature who have been there for decades. When I talk about term limits … it is across all elected offices – federal, state, and local. If people want their federal taxes to go down, then they must stop thinking that the federal government should be paying for every aspect of our lives. I will work hard to get our federal government to conduct an audit … just like consulting companies do … to find ways to cut costs.

2. Healthcare – I believe in access to AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE FOR ALL – which is not the same as health insurance. WE must look at best practices in this country. Good healthcare models exist that provide competition, choice and quality care for consumers. Medicare and Medicaid have more FRAUD than private insurance. Private insurance is currently paying for the shortages created by Medicare and Medicaid. We need government out of the business of healthcare.

While Congressman Smith has worked on legislation for Lymes and Alzheimers … the top ten causes of death in the US are (in order): heart disease, cancer, chronic lower respiratory disease, accidents, stroke, Alzheimers, diabetes, influenza and pneumonia, kidney disease and suicide. As of now, 8 out of 10 of those causes can be prevented through better healthcare. There are 21 Congressional Committees and seven of them have nutrition and health in their purview. Shouldn’t all health issues be in one committee? Not one nutrition professional is in Congress. Finally, shouldn’t we have health care professionals in Congress who have enough professional experience to help fix health care without the influence of lobbyists? It is about doing what is right for our society, not keeping a handful of companies happy. I see serving in the House of Representatives as a way to bring help directly to the people in NJ versus foreign countries.

3. Affordability – we all know life in NJ comes with a big price tag. People are having a hard time making ends meet … foreclosures are still on the rise, there are no protections for small businesses, people are experiencing age-related job discrimination, adult children are living at home with their parents. Let’s face it, it is more affordable to live in southern states for retirement. There is a significant migration from this area to the Carolinas and Florida.

A strong national defense is one where we have a strong economy and infrastructure. I don’t just mean our roads, rails and bridges. We can help people by giving them an excellent education through high school. I support EDUCATION for all – which does not mean college for all. There are many good-paying jobs that do not require a college education: plumber, contractor, carpenter, electrician, hair dresser, esthetician, etc. I do suggest that technical and trade schools give associates degrees as part of their completion so their “graduates” have some formal credentials to put on their resumes for consideration by future employers. We do need better financing options for colleges and universities and would challenge many schools to work harder at bringing down their costs. I’ve been on both sides of the education equation and know that the costs do not justify the end gain. It is time for academia to do a better job of cutting costs.

Chris Smith has held this seat for a long time and many say it would be impossible to unseat him. Why do you think he's been able to retain power for so long, and do you think 2018 is the year he could be unseated?

Name recognition and lack of voter turnout. About 10% of voters turned out for the primary. NJ does not have an open primary like other states do. Forty-five percent of District 4 are unaffiliated voters. They are the majority and cannot participate in the primary. This means a very small percentage of people decide who you get to vote for in the November general election … which is why I decided to go directly to the general election to give the people in my district a real choice. Some people just pull the lever along party lines without actually knowing who they are voting for. This is a false sense of security. You can thank me for his (Chris Smith's) “appearances” in NJ in 2018 because when I announced I was going to primary him, he started showing up in state. While predominantly at fundraisers … my guess is that he has spent more time visiting NJ this year than in the last few years combined.

People only know what they’ve been told. Many people – especially in Monmouth County, do not know who he is. They are upset to know that he doesn’t reside here (Editor's Note: Smith has a home in New Jersey, and another outside D.C.), that his kids were not raised here nor that he has not had a town hall meeting in 25 years. As a member of Congress, there is an agreement between you and your constituents that you will represent them, but you can’t do it well if you won’t meet with them yourself. Yes, Smith has done some great things, but we need change. People want it and the writing is on the wall.

I’ve been the president of just about every organization I’ve been a member of. In fact, I’ve worked hard to mentor and develop new leaders … to pass the torch on to others. When I’ve been on the boards of not for profits, it is healthy to rotate off the board in order to prevent a board from getting stale. I think this is what we are seeing in D.C. right now. Change is in the air. Despite not having raised a fraction of the money of the other two candidates, I am in the race until the election… perseverance and resilience are traits that are innate in me.

What are your thoughts on President Trump and the many Americans, including some of your constituents, who support him?

People wanted Trump because he was a disruptor who was not part of the swamp, not a career politician nor federal employee. He’s done just that. I’m trying to do the same thing by running for Congress. The economy seems to have improved, but as we know, this is cyclical. Those that support Trump, love that he is doing what he said he would do. I don’t agree with his leadership style; I’m less abrasive. Leaders can be effective and less offensive. I do find that because President Trump has been so harsh to his detractors, some people feel that gives them the license to do the same to those in their community or online. I may be a little old-school in how I’d like POTUS to act, but being President is one tough job and nobody is under a bigger microscope than Donald J. Trump.

How you would describe the current political climate in our country right now? And if you view it in a negative light, what steps would you take towards improvement?

I’ve always been a news and political junkie since I was in college. However, what I’ve been watching unfold has really been frustrating. The bipartisan war that has been going on for YEARS is at its all-time worst. What is sad is that the 100 members of the Senate and the 435 members of Congress spend all their time fighting against each other by party … it has been a permanent cold war. We entrust them with being responsible and all they do is take one step forward and two steps back. Finger point. Throw tantrums. There is a lack of civility that has become the example by which our leaders lead and it’s time to repair that moral compass.
That is why my running Independent of a party. It is the best way to ensure the people in NJ’s 4th Congressional District are represented. I will not be in a position to have a party leader tell me how I MUST vote.

I can defer to my constituents for input: I would welcome, encourage and depend on their feedback on how to cast my vote on legislation. If NJ wants to set the example for the rest of the US, take a risk and vote for me. Otherwise, it’s like the definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome. This gives me, and the people in NJ, an opportunity to really effect change.

I believe enacting a term limit amendment is the best way to keep both parties in check because there will be a constant turnover of members of Congress, preventing any one party (or person) from acquiring too much power. How do so many megalomaniacs end up in elected office and stay there? I can assure the people of NJ, I am more than capable of getting things done and am not a narcissist. I’ve been a lifelong volunteer and my reasons for wanting to be a member of Congress are completely altruistic. I will make a difference!

On some of the issues: Would you describe yourself as pro-life or pro-choice and can you elaborate?

Interestingly enough, the two are not polar opposites as many people think. We need to change the way we use those terms. Let me be perfectly clear… I am pro choice AND pro life. I am for a woman’s right to choose – PERIOD. It is nobody’s business why a woman or girl may choose to terminate a pregnancy. I can assure you it is never an easy decision, but our country was not founded on the principles of imposing our beliefs or views on others.

I’ve been watching the TV series "The Handmaids Tale" and it scares me that some people would love to turn women into baby-making machines. Anyone can have a child, but not everyone can be a parent. Let’s go beyond religious convictions for a moment and take a pragmatic approach. How about considering the woman who decides to terminate a pregnancy because her unborn baby may have catastrophic birth defects? Think about all the unsolicited comments women get when they are pregnant. Imagine how cruel that would be to force a woman to carry that fetus to term knowing it may die or cost millions of dollars for medical care. Who is paying for the prenatal care? Post-natal care? Well-visits, food, daycare, clothing, shelter, etc. for a child? The adoption industry is riddled with its own problems … as is our foster care system. Every day we read about children being abused and sometimes killed by their parents. We do not do a good job of protecting the living … which is why family law is on my platform issues. It is something we brush under the rug and pretend the problems don’t exist for those who want to end a relationship.

I am so much for life, that my daughter and I have the Hebrew word for life “Chai” with a semicolon tattooed on our left arms. It reminds us to always choose life. It has been a conversation piece for me to engage others in dialogue about mental health. My daughter has struggled with depression, anxiety and thoughts of self-harm. When people talk about access to mental health care, I understand it as a parent AND a clinician who works with individuals for whom their neurochemistry is different.

What are your thoughts on Trump's proposed border wall? Do you think it's necessary and would you vote to fund it?
Let me start by saying, most of us can never understand how dire many immigrant’s circumstances are that they are willing to risk their lives to be out of harm’s way. We see this in Europe where immigrants die in transit to freedom. We are a country of immigrants. We must find a better, methodical way to permit immigration into this country that makes sense. This includes a comprehensive assessment of the process and anticipating and predicting as many possible outcomes as possible. A border wall only limits immigration from one country. In NJ, we have more illegal immigrants from Asia – which means a wall along the Mexican border would be of no help. It is very challenging to vote to pay for government projects without looking at the total budget.

I am just as fearful as the next person, about the infiltration of gangs and criminals from other countries. Gang violence is about lack of opportunity … lack of jobs. If we begin with taking care of our owns citizens by providing them with the tools to be productive members of society, perhaps we’d see less people turning to gangs. Look at what draws people into gangs and crime; understand the process and try to find a way to prevent it. For some reason, our leaders are always trying to repair, fix or undo policies that are riddled with so many problems because of the political games that the two parties have been waging against each other.

How do you think Trump has handled himself on an international stage, in terms of dealing with Putin, Iran and North Korea?

Since we don’t have access to many of the details that occurred during POTUS’ meetings with Putin and Jung-Un, I’m going to have to say that I give him credit for meeting some otherwise inaccessible leaders. Unfortunately, there are too many countries in this world that are led by tyrannical people who have nothing but hate for others; nor have regard for the sanctity of human life or respect for different views. Having grown up in this amazing country, I just cannot wrap my head around that close-minded mindset.

The Iran deal was putting Israel at risk. Israel is our one major ally in the Middle East, and we owe it to them to help protect their safety. Nuclear weapons are dangerous for our civilization and the planet. Perhaps the United Nations could use its influence to encourage countries around the world to invest in their society and human capital rather than ways to overtake the world. The leadership style of President Trump is so different from every former President, that the entire world is perplexed.

According to www.Visitthecapitol.gov: “Through legislative debate and compromise, the U.S. Congress makes laws that influence our daily lives. It holds hearings to inform the legislative process, conducts investigations to oversee the executive branch, and serves as the voice of the people and the states in the federal government.”

Congress is one of the three checks and balances (of power) in the U.S. It is not supposed to be the amplifier for the President.

Related: 5 Questions For Congress Candidates Rep. Chris Smith & Josh Welle

Photo submitted by Felicia Stoler.