2014 United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey
The 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey were held on Tuesday, November 4, 2014, to elect the 12 U.S. representatives from the state of New Jersey, one from each of the state's 12 congressional districts. The elections coincided with the 2014 United States midterm elections for other federal and state offices, including U.S. House elections in other states and a U.S. Senate election in New Jersey.
As of 2024, this is the last time New Jersey’s delegation to the United States House of Representatives did not have a Democratic majority.
Overview
By district
Results of the 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey by district:
District 1
The 1st district is based in South Jersey and includes most of Camden County along with parts of Burlington County and Gloucester County. Democrat Rob Andrews represented the district from 1990 until his resignation on February 18, 2014. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie called for a special election on November 4 (concurrent with the general election) to fill the remaining months of Andrews' term.
Radio personality and former NFL linebacker Garry Cobb and perennial candidate Lee Lucas ran in the Republican primary.
Democratic primary
Democratic state senator Donald Norcross ran to succeed Andrews. The brother of businessman and political boss George Norcross, Donald was the "heavy favorite" to win the seat. Shortly after declaring his candidacy, he had been endorsed by every Democratic member of New Jersey's congressional delegation as well as New Jersey Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney, New Jersey General Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald, Camden Mayor Dana Redd and former governor Jim Florio. Matthew Harris, who had been running against Andrews, had announced that he would continue his campaign against Norcross, but quickly withdrew, citing the "cascade of endorsements" for Norcross. Logan Township Mayor Frank Minor and Marine Corps veteran Frank Broomell also ran in the Democratic primary.
Candidates
Nominee
Donald Norcross, state senator
Eliminated in primary
Frank Broomell, United States Marine Corps veteran
Frank Minor, mayor of Logan Township
Withdrew
Matthew Harris
Declined
Rob Andrews, former U.S. Representative
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
Garry Cobb, radio personality and ex-NFL player
Eliminated in primary
Claire Gustafson
Lee Lucas, former congressional and General Assembly candidate
Gerard McManus
Note: None of the Republican candidates filed for the special election to fill Congressman Rob Andrews' unexpired term.
Results
General election
Endorsements
Results
District 2
The 2nd district is based in South Jersey and is the biggest congressional district in the state. It includes all of Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and Salem Counties and parts of Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Ocean counties.
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
Frank LoBiondo, incumbent U.S. Representative
Eliminated in primary
Mike Assad, Absecon Board of Education member and candidate for this seat in 2012
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
Bill Hughes, former federal prosecutor; son of former Congressman William J. Hughes
Eliminated in primary
David Cole, former White House aide and Barack Obama campaign staffer
Declined
Lou Greenwald, Majority Leader of the New Jersey General Assembly
Jeff Van Drew, state senator
Jim Whelan, state senator
Results
General election
Endorsements
Polling
Results
District 3
The 3rd district is based in South Jersey and includes parts of Burlington and Ocean counties. Republican Jon Runyan, who had represented the district since 2011, retired, citing a desire to spend more time with his family.
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
Tom MacArthur, former mayor of Randolph
Eliminated in primary
Steve Lonegan, former mayor of Bogota, candidate for governor in 2005 and 2009 and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2013
Withdrew
James Byrnes, president of Berkeley Township Council
Maurice Hill, retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral and Toms River Township Councilman
David W. Wolfe, state assemblyman
Declined
Randy Brown, Mayor of Evesham
Bruce Garganio, Burlington County Freeholder
John Giordano, Assistant Commissioner for Compliance and Enforcement at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Jon Runyan, incumbent U.S. Representative
Polling
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
Aimee Belgard, Burlington County Freeholder
Eliminated in primary
Howard Kleinhendler, corporate lawyer and nominee for New Jersey's 4th congressional district in 2010
Withdrew
Jack Fanous, co-founder and executive director of the G.I. Go Fund
Declined
Herb Conaway, state assemblyman
Troy Singleton, state assemblyman
Results
General election
Endorsements
Polling
Predictions
Results
District 4
The fourth district is represented by Republican Congressman Chris Smith. Ruben Scolavino, a criminal defense attorney and a former candidate for Monmouth County Sheriff, was endorsed by the Mercer, Monmouth, and Ocean County Democratic committees.
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
Chris Smith, incumbent U.S. Representative
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
Ruben Scolavino, criminal defense attorney and former candidate for Monmouth County Sheriff
Results
General election
Endorsements
Results
District 5
Republican incumbent Scott Garrett won re-election in the fifth district in the 2012 House of Representatives elections. Redistricting made the district more competitive for members of the Democratic Party.
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
Scott Garrett, incumbent U.S. Representative
Results
Democratic primary
Roy Cho, a Democrat who has worked for the governor's office and Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, ran against the incumbent Garrett.
Candidates
Nominee
Roy Cho, attorney, former congressional aide, and former gubernatorial aide
Eliminated in primary
Diane Sare, LaRouche movement activist, candidate for this seat in 2012, independent candidate for governor in 2013
Declined
Robert M. Gordon, state senator
Tracy Silna Zur, Bergen County Freeholder
Results
General election
Campaign
In the general election, the two largest newspapers in New Jersey both endorsed Cho. The Star-Ledger called Garrett "a retrograde culture warrior who wants to eliminate a woman's right to choose" and criticized his support for the 2013 budget sequester, which hurt New Jersey; by contrast, Cho is "a centrist who actually wants to govern." The Bergen Record criticized Garrett as "a dogmatic conservative who believes ideology trumps compromise" and agreed with Cho's call for a federal role in improving the region's transportation infrastructure.
Endorsements
Polling
Predictions
Results
District 6
The sixth district, represented by Democratic Congressman Frank Pallone, was considered a long-shot pick up opportunity for Republicans, but only if Pallone retired. Old Bridge attorney Anthony Wilkinson ran in the Republican primary.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
Frank Pallone, incumbent U.S. Representative
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
Anthony Wilkinson, attorney
Withdrawn
Anna Little, former mayor of Highlands and nominee for this seat in 2010 & 2012
Results
General election
Endorsements
Results
District 7
In the seventh district, incumbent Republican Congressman Leonard Lance faced a primary challenge from perennial challenger David Larsen.
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
Leonard Lance, incumbent U.S. Representative
Eliminated in primary
David Larsen, businessman and candidate for this seat in 2010 & 2012
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
Janice Kovach, Mayor of Clinton and Secretary of the New Jersey Democratic Party
Results
General election
Endorsements
Results
District 8
The eighth district is represented by Democratic Congressman Albio Sires.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
Albio Sires, incumbent U.S. Representative
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
Jude-Anthony Tiscornia, attorney and State Assembly candidate in 2013
Results
General election
Endorsements
Results
District 9
The ninth district is represented by Democratic Congressman Bill Pascrell.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
Bill Pascrell, incumbent U.S. Representative
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
Dierdre Paul, college professor and State Assembly candidate in 2013
Withdrew
Michael Oren Epstein, attorney
Results
General election
Endorsements
Results
District 10
The tenth district is represented by Democratic Congressman Donald Payne. Curtis Alphonzo Vaughn III, Robert Louis Toussaint, and Aaron Fraser also ran in the Democratic primary. Yolanda Dentley ran in the Republican primary.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
Donald Payne, Jr., incumbent U.S. Representative
Eliminated in primary
Aaron Fraser
Robert Toussaint, independent candidate in 2010
Curtis Vaughn
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
Yolanda Dentley, middle school vice principal
Results
Independents
Candidates
Dark Angel, economics major and theater minor at Kean University
General election
Endorsements
Results
District 11
The 11th district is held by Republican Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen. Frelinghuysen and Rick Van Glahn ran in the Republican primary.
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
Rodney Frelinghuysen, incumbent U.S. Representative
Eliminated in primary
Rick Van Glahn, home improvement contractor
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
Mark Dunec, management consultant
Eliminated in primary
Lee Anne Brogowski
Brian Murphy
Results
General election
Endorsements
Results
District 12
The 12th district is based in Central Jersey and includes parts of Mercer, Middlesex, Somerset and Union counties. The district is known for its research centers and educational institutions such as Princeton University, Institute for Advanced Study, Johnson & Johnson and Bristol-Myers Squibb. Democrat Rush D. Holt, Jr., who had represented the district since 1999, retired, leaving the seat open.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
Bonnie Watson Coleman, state assemblywoman and former chairwoman of the New Jersey Democratic Party
Eliminated in primary
Upendra J. Chivukula, Deputy Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly and nominee for New Jersey's 7th congressional district in 2012
Linda R. Greenstein, state senator
Andrew Zwicker, Princeton University plasma physicist
Declined
Daniel R. Benson, state assemblyman
Jun Choi, former mayor of Edison
Paula Covello, Mercer County clerk
Wayne DeAngelo, state assemblyman
Jerry Green, Speaker Pro Tempore of the New Jersey General Assembly
Reed Gusciora, state assemblyman
Rush D. Holt, Jr., incumbent U.S. Representative
Brian M. Hughes, Mercer County Executive and nominee for New Jersey's 4th congressional district in 1992
Colleen Mahr, Mayor of Fanwood
Jim McGreevey, former governor
Ed Potosnak, executive director of the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters and nominee for New Jersey's 7th congressional district in 2010
Linda Stender, state assemblywoman and nominee for New Jersey's 7th congressional district in 2006 and 2008
Shirley Turner, state senator
Polling
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
Alieta Eck, former president of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, health care reform advocate and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2013
Declined
John Crowley, biotech executive and subject of the film Extraordinary Measures
Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff, New Jersey State Treasurer, former member of the New York City Council and former New York State Commissioner of Tax and Finance
Scott Sipprelle, venture capitalist and candidate for the seat in 2010
Results
General election
Endorsements
Results
See also
2014 United States House of Representatives elections
2014 United States elections
References
External links
U.S. House elections in New_Jersey, 2014 at Ballotpedia