The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012, and elected the 12 U.S. Representatives from the state of New Jersey, a loss of one seat following the 2010 United States Census. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including a quadrennial presidential election and an election to the U.S. Senate.
United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey, 2012[1]
Party
Votes
Percentage
Seats
+/–
Democratic
1,794,301
54.67%
6
-1
Republican
1,430,325
43.58%
6
-
Green
11,183
0.34%
0
-
Libertarian
9,396
0.29%
0
-
Others
36,573
1.11%
0
-
Totals
3,281,778
100.00%
12
-1
Redistricting[]
Redistricting in New Jersey is the responsibility of the New Jersey Redistricting Commission, comprising six Democrats and six Republicans. If a majority of the 12 cannot reach an agreement, a neutral 13th person serves as a mediator or tie-breaker.[2] On December 23, 2011, the commission voted 7–6 for a map supported by Republicans.[3]
In redistricting, Cherry Hill Township was added to the 1st district, while Riverton and parts of East Greenwich Township and Mantua Township were removed from the district.[4] Democrat Rob Andrews, who has represented the 1st district since 1990, ran for re-election. Francis Tenaglio, a former Pennsylvania state Representative who ran for Governor in 2005, challenged Andrews in the Democratic primary.[5]
Gregory Horton, the athletic director of Clearview Regional High School, ran unopposed the Republican nomination.[6]
Democratic primary[]
Declared
Rob Andrews, incumbent U.S. Representative
Francis Tenaglio, former Pennsylvania state Representative, candidate for Governor in 2005
In redistricting, Barnegat Light, Bass River Township, Beach Haven, Eagleswood Township, Harvey Cedars, Little Egg Harbor, Long Beach Township, Ship Bottom, Stafford Township, Surf City, Tuckerton, Washington Township and part of Mantua Township were added to the district.[4] Republican Frank LoBiondo, who represented the 2nd district since 1995, sought re-election. Mike Assad, a member of the Absecon Board of Education, challenged LoBiondo in the Republican primary.
David W Bowen Sr., a Businessman, a Real Estate Investor and Public Speaker, ran as an Independent.[6][9]
Cassandra Shober, an office manager, won the Democratic nomination.[6] Democratic state senatorJeff Van Drew will not run.[10]
In redistricting, the 3rd district was made more favorable to Republicans. Parts of Burlington County, including Riverton and Shamong Township, and Brick Township and Mantoloking in Ocean County were added to the district, while Cherry Hill and Bass River were removed.[12] Republican Jon Runyan, who has represented the 3rd district since January 2011, sought re-election. Justin Murphy, a former member of the Tabernacle Township Committee and unsuccessful Republican primary candidate for the seat in 2010, declined to run.[13]
Former U.S. Representative John Adler, who represented the 3rd district from 2009 until 2011 but lost re-election in 2010, had planned to run again; however, Adler died in April 2011.[12]Shelley Adler, an of counsel attorney and the widow of the former congressman, ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination. Thomas Sacks-Wilner, a medical doctor who was considering a bid for the Democratic nomination, declined to run.[14]
Frederick John LaVergne of Delanco, New Jersey, ran as a "Democratic-Republican" Democratic-Republican Party - the party designation of Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and John Quincy Adams.
Robert Witterschein, an accountant, ran as an Independent.[15]
Republican primary[]
Declared
Jon Runyan, incumbent U.S. Representative
Declined
Justin Murphy, former Tabernacle Township Committee Member and candidate for the seat in 2010
In redistricting, the district lost all of its share of Burlington County, while gaining more of Republican-leaning Monmouth.[12] Republican Chris Smith, who has represented the 4th congressional district since 1981, sought re-election. Terrence McGowan, a retired firefighter, police officer, and Navy SEAL, challenged Smith in the Republican primary.[5][16]
Brian Froelich, a retired executive and business consultant, ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination. Patricia Bennett, an attorney, had also planned to run but dropped out.[17][18]
Republican Scott Garrett, who has represented the 5th district since 2003, successfully sought re-election.[3] Michael Cino, an oil executive who challenged Garrett in the Republican primary in 2006, will run again.[20] Garret won the Republican primary by a fairly comfortable margin.
Jason Castle, an information technology executive and Marine;[21] , the deputy mayor of Teaneck;[22] and Diane Sare, a chorus director and LaRouche political organizer,[23] all ran for the Democratic nomination to challenge Garrett; Gussen eventually won the primary. Terry Duffy, the director of the Passaic CountyBoard of Chosen Freeholders, had planned to run[24] but ended his bid in March 2012.[25]Harry Carson, a former linebacker for the New York Giants;[26] former Bergen CountySheriff Leo McGuire;[27] Jim McQueeny, a public relations executive and former News12anchor;[28] and state assemblywomanConnie Wagner,[29] will not run. Steve Rothman, a Democrat who has represented the 9th district since 1997 and was expected to seek re-election in the 5th district,[3] instead ran in the 9th district.[30]
Patricia Alessandrini ran as a candidate of the Green Party for the seat.[31]
Mark Quick, a former member of the Warren County Republican Committee who challenged Garrett as an Independent in 2010, had stated that he would as a candidate of the Reform Party of New Jersey.[32] He withdrew from the race and did not qualify for the ballot.[31]
Republican primary[]
Declared
Scott Garrett, incumbent U.S. Representative
Michael Cino, oil executive and candidate for this seat in 2006
Democrat Frank Pallone, who has represented the 6th district since 1993 (and previously represented the 3rd district from 1988 until 1993), will seek re-election.[5] Ernesto Cullari, an orthopedic practitioner,[33] and Anna Little, the former mayor of Highlands who unsuccessfully challenged Pallone as the Republican nominee in 2010,[34] won the Republican nomination to challenge Pallone.
Republican Leonard Lance, who has represented the 7th district since 2009, ran for re-election.[35] The 7th district was made more favorable to Republicans in redistricting, losing all of Democratic leaning Middlesex County, while now including all of heavily Republican Hunterdon.[36] David Larsen, a businessman who unsuccessfully challenged Lance in the Republican primary in 2010, ran again.[37]
State AssemblymanUpendra J. Chivukula ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination.[38][39] At least two other candidates had announced in 2011 that they would seek the Democratic nomination, but withdraw in the months before the filing deadline: Jun Choi, the former mayor of Edison,[40] and Ed Potosnak, a chemistry teacher and entrepreneur who unsuccessfully ran for the seat in 2010.[41] Following the redistricting process which placed Choi's town of Edison in the 6th district, Choi announced that he would not be a candidate for Congress in 2012 and endorsed incumbent Frank Pallone. On January 16, 2012, Potosnak announced that he was dropping out of the race to accept a position as executive director of the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters.[42]
Patrick McKnight ran as the Libertarian candidate.[43]
The new 8th district is the successor to the 13th district. Democrat Albio Sires, who has represented the 13th district since 2006, will seek re-election in this district.[44] Michael Shurin, a computer programmer, will challenge Sires in the Democratic primary.[45]
Maria Karczewski, a former commissioner of the Bayonne Local Redevelopment Authority, and Anthony Zanowic, who ran as an Independent against Sires in the 13th district in 2010, will seek the Republican nomination.[46]
Democratic primary[]
Declared
Albio Sires, incumbent U.S. Representative for the 13th District
Bill Pascrell, a Democrat who had represented the 8th district since 1997, and Steve Rothman, a Democrat who had represented the 9th district since 1997, both ran for the nomination in the new 9th district.[30]Michael Wildes, the former mayor of Englewood, did not run and instead endorsed Rothman.[47] Pascrell won the Democratic primary in June.
Blase Billack, a pharmaceutical sciences associate professor at St. John's University, Shmuley Boteach, a rabbi, author, and radio talk show host, and ophthalmologist Hector Castillo sought the Republican nomination.[48] Boteach won the Republican primary.
Democratic primary[]
Declared
Steve Rothman, incumbent U.S. Representative
Bill Pascrell, incumbent U.S. Representative
Declined
Michael Wildes, former mayor of Englewood (Endorsed Rothman)[47]
In the general election, Pascrell faced Rabbi Shmuley Boteach. Pascrell raised more money than any other congressional candidate in the nation in 2012, $2.6 million, 10x what Boteach raised.[49] Pascrell won in the overwhelmingly Democratic district, where Democrats outnumbered Republicans by 3-to-1, by a margin of 73.6% to 25.4%.[49][50][51][52][53]
Democrat Donald M. Payne, who had represented the 10th district since 1989, died on March 6, 2012. As a matter of convenience and cost saving, a special election will be held in conjunction with the regularly-scheduled November general election. Voters will be asked on the November ballot to select two candidates: one to serve the remainder of Payne's term in November and December, and the other candidate to serve the full 2-year term beginning in January 2013.[54]
On June 5, 2012, in the Democratic primary for the special election, Payne's son, Donald Payne Jr., defeated Ronald C. Rice (son of State Senator Ronald Rice) and Irvington Mayor Wayne Smith.[55] In the Democratic primary for the full term, held on the same day, Payne Jr. competed against Rice, Smith, State Senator Nia Gill, Cathy Wright, and Dennis Flynn.[56] He won in a landslide, garnering 60 percent of the vote. Rice received 19 percent, Gill 17 percent, and Smith, Flynn and Wright combined for about 5 percent of the vote.[57]
In the general election held on November 6, 2012, Payne Jr. defeated Republican candidate Brian Kelemen and independent Joanne Miller for the special election to fill the remainder of his father's term.[58]
Democratic primary[]
Declared
Donald Payne Jr., president of the Newark Municipal Council, member of the Essex CountyBoard of Chosen Freeholders, and son of former U.S. Representative Donald M. Payne
Nia Gill, state senator
Ronald C. Rice, member of the Newark Municipal Council
Republican Rodney Frelinghuysen, who has represented the 11th district since 1995, will seek re-election. John Arvanites, a former mayor of Roseland, ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination to challenge Frelinghuysen.[59]
Republican primary[]
Declared
Rodney Frelinghuysen, incumbent U.S. Representative
Democrat Rush Holt, who has represented the 12th district since 1999, will seek re-election. Eric Beck, a businessman and former New Jersey director of the Concord Coalition, is running unopposed for the Republican nomination to challenge Holt.[60] Kenneth J. Cody who ran in this district in 2010 will run again as an independent candidate. Scott Sipprelle, a venture capitalist who unsuccessfully challenged Holt as the Republican nominee in 2010, will not run.[61]
1
4.93%
Federal government
State government
Newark
Jersey City
Hoboken
Atlantic City