This district contains parts of Mercer, Monmouth, and Ocean County. The district has voted    Republican in congressional elections since 1980. In the past nine congressional elections, the Republican candidate has received at least 64% of the two-party vote. The district is 93.08% urban. The district’s population is 85.3% Caucasian, 7.8% African American, 2.3% Asian, 7.6% Hispanic, 0.2% Native American, and 0.4% other.

The incumbent for this race is Republican Chris Smith. Smith has held the seat since 1981. The Lugar Center - McCourt School of Public Policy Bipartisan Index reported Smith as the 17th most bipartisan member of the US House of Representatives. He served as the chairman of the Veteran’s Affair Committee from 2001-2005 until he was replaced by Republican Steve Buyer, much to the dismay of New Jersey Republicans, Democrats, and leaders of many veteran groups. The Democratic candidate is Josh Welle. Welle is a veteran who served 12 years in the Navy. He also started a software company with friends. His key issues include national security, substance abuse, and LGBTQ rights.