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]
District 1
2012 New Jersey's 1st congressional district election
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, he died in April 2011.[25]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.
In redistricting, the district lost all of its share of
Burlington County, while gaining more of Republican-leaning
Monmouth.[25] Republican
Chris Smith, who had represented the 4th congressional district since 1981, sought re-election.
Republican
Scott Garrett, who had 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, ran again. Garret won the Republican primary by a fairly comfortable margin.
Jason Castle, an it executive and
Marine; Adam Gussen, the deputy mayor of
Teaneck; and Diane Sare, all ran for the Democratic nomination to challenge Garrett. Gussen eventually won the primary.
Patricia Alessandrini ran as a candidate of the
Green Party for the seat.[44]
Mark Quick, a former member of the
Warren County Republican Committee who challenged Garrett as an
Independent in 2010, had stated that he would run as a candidate of the
Reform Party of New Jersey.[45] He withdrew from the race and did not qualify for the ballot.[44]
Democrat
Frank Pallone, who had represented the 6th district since 1993 (and previously represented the 3rd district from 1988 until 1993), sought re-election.[5]
Anna Little, the former mayor of
Highlands, who unsuccessfully challenged Pallone as the Republican nominee in
2010, won the Republican nomination to challenge Pallone.
Republican
Leonard Lance, who had represented the 7th district since 2009, ran for re-election.[60] 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.[61]
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,[64] and Ed Potosnak, a chemistry teacher and
entrepreneur who unsuccessfully ran for the seat in 2010.[65] 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.[66]
The new 8th district is the successor to the 13th district. Democrat
Albio Sires, who had represented the 13th district since 2006, sought re-election in this district.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
Albio Sires, incumbent U.S. Representative for the 13th District[70]
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.[55]
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
Bill Pascrell, incumbent U.S. Representative for the 8th District
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, ten times what Boteach raised.[75]
Pascrell won in the overwhelmingly Democratic district, where Democrats outnumbered Republicans by 3-to-1, by a margin of 73.6% to 25.4%.[75][76][77][78][79]
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 was held in conjunction with the regularly-scheduled November general election. Voters were 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 two-year term beginning in January 2013.[80]
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.[81] 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.[82] 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.[83]
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.[84]
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]
District 1
2012 New Jersey's 1st congressional district election
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, he died in April 2011.[25]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.
In redistricting, the district lost all of its share of
Burlington County, while gaining more of Republican-leaning
Monmouth.[25] Republican
Chris Smith, who had represented the 4th congressional district since 1981, sought re-election.
Republican
Scott Garrett, who had 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, ran again. Garret won the Republican primary by a fairly comfortable margin.
Jason Castle, an it executive and
Marine; Adam Gussen, the deputy mayor of
Teaneck; and Diane Sare, all ran for the Democratic nomination to challenge Garrett. Gussen eventually won the primary.
Patricia Alessandrini ran as a candidate of the
Green Party for the seat.[44]
Mark Quick, a former member of the
Warren County Republican Committee who challenged Garrett as an
Independent in 2010, had stated that he would run as a candidate of the
Reform Party of New Jersey.[45] He withdrew from the race and did not qualify for the ballot.[44]
Democrat
Frank Pallone, who had represented the 6th district since 1993 (and previously represented the 3rd district from 1988 until 1993), sought re-election.[5]
Anna Little, the former mayor of
Highlands, who unsuccessfully challenged Pallone as the Republican nominee in
2010, won the Republican nomination to challenge Pallone.
Republican
Leonard Lance, who had represented the 7th district since 2009, ran for re-election.[60] 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.[61]
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,[64] and Ed Potosnak, a chemistry teacher and
entrepreneur who unsuccessfully ran for the seat in 2010.[65] 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.[66]
The new 8th district is the successor to the 13th district. Democrat
Albio Sires, who had represented the 13th district since 2006, sought re-election in this district.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
Albio Sires, incumbent U.S. Representative for the 13th District[70]
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.[55]
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
Bill Pascrell, incumbent U.S. Representative for the 8th District
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, ten times what Boteach raised.[75]
Pascrell won in the overwhelmingly Democratic district, where Democrats outnumbered Republicans by 3-to-1, by a margin of 73.6% to 25.4%.[75][76][77][78][79]
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 was held in conjunction with the regularly-scheduled November general election. Voters were 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 two-year term beginning in January 2013.[80]
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.[81] 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.[82] 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.[83]
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.[84]