A day after being sentenced to a year of probation for refusing to shut down his gym during the pandemic, news broke that Ian Smith is running for Congress in New Jersey’s 3rd District.
Smith, who made a name for himself by defiantly keeping his Bellmawr, New Jersey, gym open despite court orders, has filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission and is expected to announce his bid next week, Save Jersey reported. He would be the second challenger to join the Republican primary against incumbent Democratic Rep. Andy Kim, who was elected in 2018.
“Yes, he’s serious. We have a fundraising consultant on board. I’ll be bringing in a campaign manager next week. It’s serious,” political consultant Steve Kush told New Jersey 101.5. Kush, who is reportedly working with Smith, helped Republican truck driver Ed Durr defeat Stephen Sweeney, New Jersey’s then-president of the Senate, in last year’s election.
Smith is embroiled in several lawsuits and has paid about $1.5 million in fines for his noncompliance. His outspokenness earned him nationwide recognition through media appearances, and he has raised over $1 million to fund his efforts to have Gov. Phil Murphy’s lockdown orders ruled unconstitutional.
GYM OWNERS WHO WOULDN’T COMPLY WITH LOCKDOWN SENTENCED TO PROBATION
Robert Healey Jr., a millionaire yacht manufacturer, is the other Republican vying for the seat in a district that redrawing made more heavily favor the Democrats. Kim reportedly has $3.3 million at his disposal, while Healey raised $500,000 in November and December.
Smith pulled several stunts to keep his business open during the height of the pandemic despite losing his business license in August 2020. He offered free memberships to unvaccinated patrons in March 2021 and removed the doors from their hinges to prevent authorities from barring them shut when he was ordered to shut down in the summer of 2020. The door tactic led to his conviction of fourth-degree criminal contempt of court and sentencing to a year of probation on Thursday.
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Smith has been open about spending over five years in prison for a drunken driving accident that caused the death of a 19-year-old in 2007 when he was 20.
