WASHINGTON -- From health care to taxes to cutting funding for the Gateway Tunnel, congressional Republicans supported an agenda last year that singled out New Jersey for pain.

And the state's House GOP members refused to go along.

Three New Jersey House Republicans -- more than any other state -- were among the 10 lawmakers who most often broke away when a majority of their party and a majority of Democrats were on opposite sides, according to Congressional Quarterly's annual vote studies.

Likewise, Garden State Republicans lined up against President Donald Trump's policies more often than those from all other states, even as they supported him more than three-fourths of the time.

Of the five House GOP lawmakers who voted against the president more than anyone else in their party, two hailed from New Jersey.

Rep. Frank LoBiondo was the third biggest dissenter on House votes, deviating from the party line 21 percent of the time. Rep. Chris Smith was fifth at 17 percent and Rep. Leonard Lance ninth with 15 percent.

"This is not about breaking with the party; it's putting the district first," said LoBiondo, R-2nd Dist., who is retiring in January. "If that coincides with the Republican Party's priorities, all the better, but it really is making sure I'm doing everything for the district."

All three Republicans lined up with all seven New Jersey House Democrats in voting against both of Trump's top priorities, repealing the Affordable Care Act and cutting taxes.

The health care bill would have left 500,000 additional New Jerseyans without health insurance. The tax legislation singled out New Jersey and other high-tax states, most of which send billions of dollars more to Washington than they get back in services, by curbing the federal deduction for state and local taxes.

"I always vote what I believe is in the best interest of the district and the state," said Lance, R-7th Dist.

Rep. Josh Gottheimer dissented from his fellow House Democrats more than any other member of his party: 17 percent.

"To get things done, you have to work with both sides to move forward," said Gottheimer, D-5th Dist. "This is exactly what I said when I was running and I'm governing the way I ran."

On the other side, Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-6th Dist., supported his colleagues 99.8 percent of the time, tied with eight other House Democrats for sixth place.

"I believe in the party and I also am part of putting together the party agenda," said Pallone, the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Pallone and Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-12th Dist., opposed Trump 91.7 percent of the time last year, tied with eight other House Democrats for seventh place.

"I think his policies are very much contrary to the interests of the public, whether it's on health care, safety, environmental concerns," Pallone said. "He's just terrible on all those things."

Smith, R-4th Dist., opposed Trump 28.6 percent of the time, the fourth highest among House Republicans. LoBiondo was fifth with 27.8 percent.

Smith said he agreed with Trump on issues such as strengthening the military, but not on everything.

"I just do what I believe to be right on every issue," Smith said. "It's easy to be a rubber stamp. I'm not."

Gottheimer, who met with Trump as the co-chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, backed the president 30.6 percent of the time, seventh highest among House Democrats and the only one from the Northeast. backed Trump

"I solve problems across the aisle," Gottheimer said. "That's what the people want. The era of obstruction for the sake of it because of a party label has to go away."

U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., opposed Trump 86.4 percent of the time, more often than every other senator except two other potential 2020 Democratic presidential candidates, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York (92.3 percent) and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts (91.5 percent).

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