COLTS NECK — Audio of a tense conversation between U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., and Colts Neck High School students over the rights of same-sex couples to adopt children has become a political football in his reelection campaign.

A brief recording of the discussion held in May and posted Wednesday morning by the Washington Blade, an LGBTQ newspaper, included a student asking Smith whether her sister, who is gay, should be allowed to adopt a child.

Smith, 65, said the issue was moot due to the 2017 Supreme Court ruling that legalized adoption by same-sex couples but that there were "many others who would like to adopt, who can acquire a child."

When another student asked why those other families were "more legitimate," Smith replied that "orphanages are still a possibility for some kids." At that point, a school administrator interrupted, steering the conversation toward Smith's personal anecdotes regarding U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who died last month.

In a statement, Smith said the recording was doctored, a "political dirty trick” by his opponent, Democratic candidate Joshua Welle, whose campaign he accused of deliberately doctoring the audio to take his comments out of context.

“Anybody can twist your words and make false representations when they splice up a tape,” Smith said. “It is despicable that someone thought they could score political points by distorting the truth and raising false questions about my record and the full range of topics discussed at the assembly.”

Listen to the complete exchange between Smith and the students below:

A captioned video of the original clip was posted to Welle's campaign's YouTube page and he later held a rally outside Smith's Freehold office. Watch a video at the top of the page to learn about how competitive New Jersey races will be in November.

"Chris Smith’s out-of-touch views might have flown in 1980 when he was elected, but his time has passed,” Welle said in a statement. “In 2018, in Central Jersey, it is unacceptable to imply a child would be better off in an orphanage than with a loving LGBTQ family."

Smith's campaign later released audio from the entire 53-minute presentation.

In the extended audio, another student is heard asking Smith about his vote for a 1999 amendment to the annual Washington, D.C., appropriations act that would have prohibited the "joint adoption of a child between individuals who are not related by blood or marriage," including gay couples.

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Smith describes himself as "very aggressively pro-adoption" but states that he “would vote the same way, frankly, as he did then." He notes that his concerns stem from faith-based organizations, such as Catholic Charities, being “put out of business” because they won’t place a child with a same-sex couple.

“So you’re saying that foster care and orphanages are in the better interest of the child,” the student then asks.

“No, Lord, no,” Smith replied. “We have waiting periods for families who’d love to adopt a child, often by years, but a child is simply not available.”

Freehold Regional High School District spokespeople and Colts Neck High School principal Brian Donahue did not respond to requests for comment.

It's not the first time Smith has been criticized by LGBTQ activists during his four decades in the House.

In 2015, the Human Rights Campaign chided Smith after he said, "I am a strong believer in traditional marriage, and do not construe homosexual rights as human rights" during a hearing of the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations, which he chairs.

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He has also voted for a number of House measures that would have effectively banned same-sex marriage.

Mike Davis; @byMikeDavis: 732-643-4223; mdavis@gannettnj.com

Jean Mikle: @jeanmilke: 732-643-4050; jmikle@gannettnj.com