WASHINGTON -- New Jersey Rep. Tom MacArthur went his own way again last week.

The south Jersey Republican once again broke with the rest of the New Jersey congressional delegation and voted for legislation that would have funded farm subsidies for the next five years while imposing new restrictions on food stamps that could cost 35,000 Garden State residents their benefits.

New Jersey's other four House Republicans and six of its House Democrats opposed the measure. Rep. Donald Norcross, D-1st Dist., did not vote.

Republicans failed to pass the Agriculture and Nutrition Act as 30 House GOP members defected despite President Donald Trump's support for the bill. The vote was 213-198.

MacArthur's vote was the latest example of how he's voted differently than his Garden State colleagues.

He was the only member of the state's congressional delegation to support the Republican tax bill that curbed the federal deduction for state and local taxes. He was one of only two to vote for replacing the Affordable Care Act with legislation that the Congressional Budget Office said would leave 23 million more Americans uninsured.

In part because of those votes, MacArthur, R-3rd Dist., is rated as just a slight favorite for re-election by the Cook Political Report, a Washington-based publication that tracks congressional races. He faces Andy Kim, a former national security official, in November.

Besides imposing new work requirements, the farm bill would have blocked New Jersey and other states from continuing to extend coverage to families whose income exceeds federal limits. Instead of phasing out the benefits as incomes rise, such households automatically would lose their food stamps as soon as they exceeded the limit.

That means an estimated 10,000 households, or 35,000 individuals, could lose their benefits, according to a study by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a progressive research group in Washington.

"It would have reduced eligibility for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits that many of my constituents rely upon for vital food assistance," said Rep. Chris Smith, R-4th Dist., who bucked his party and voted no.

The proposed food stamp cuts came after passage of the Republican tax bill that independent studies said gave most of its benefits to the richest Americans.

Tomorrow, the House will vote on a strong Farm Bill, which includes work requirements. We must support our Nation’s great farmers! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 17, 2018

And the bill did not cut subsidies for wealthy farmers or for the sugar industry, said Rep. Leonard Lance, R-7th Dist., another no vote.

"The bill continues to implement price controls and fund wasteful subsidy programs that appear to be more of the same crony capitalism than sound federal food policy," Lance said. "Handouts continue to be given to wealthy agribusiness farms in the Midwest. The terrible sugar subsidies remain."

MacArthur first secured approval of an amendment to allow children to keep receiving food stamps even if their parents no longer were eligible due to new work requirements.

He said the bill would provide benefits to New Jersey farmers, including grants that will help blueberry and cranberry farmers, as well as provide needed crop insurance.

"Thousands of farmers here in New Jersey, and all across the country, will benefit from crop insurance programs in this bill that help protect their farms," MacArthur said. "The conservation programs outlined in this bill are a benefit to all of us."

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.