New Jersey State Senate elections, 2013

2017 → ← 2011

New Jersey State Senate elections, 2013

Majority control • Campaign contributions

Qualifications • Impact of Redistricting

State Legislative Election Results

List of candidates District 1 • District 2 • District 3 • District 4 • District 5 • District 6 • District 7 • District 8 • District 9 • District 10 • District 11 • District 12 • District 13 • District 14 • District 15 • District 16 • District 17 • District 18 • District 19 • District 20 • District 21 • District 22• District 23 • District 24 • District 25 • District 26 • District 27 • District 28 • District 29 • District 30 • District 31 • District 32 • District 33 • District 34 • District 35 • District 36 • District 37 • District 38 • District 39 • District 40

New Jersey State Senate • 2013 New Jersey General Assembly Elections

Elections for the office of New Jersey State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 4, 2013, and a general election on November 5, 2013.

The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was April 1, 2013. The deadline for objections to nomination petitions for primary election candidates was April 5, 2013. Independent candidates wishing to run in the general election were required to submit their nomination petitions by June 4, 2013. The deadline for objections to nomination petitions for independent general election candidates was June 10, 2013.

Nomination petitions must contain the signatures of at least 100 voters in the legislative district. Candidates are required to disclose any criminal convictions.

Incumbency was a key factor in the results for New Jersey's elections for State Senate in 2013. The incumbent ran for re-election in 39 of the 40 seats up for election in 2013. Every one of those incumbents advanced past the primary and won in the general election. District 14 and District 38 saw the closest competition for incumbents; both Democrats. Peter Barnes, III (D) was the only newly-elected member of the New Jersey State Senate. He won election in an open seat contest.

Majority control

Heading into the November 5 election, the Democratic Party held the majority in the New Jersey State Senate. The party lost no seats and remained the majority party after the 2013 election:

New Jersey State Senate
Party		As of November 4, 2013	After the 2013 Election
	Democratic Party	24	24
	Republican Party	16	16
Total		40	40

Campaign contributions

See also: State-by-state comparison of donations to state senate campaigns

This chart shows how many candidates ran for state senate in New Jersey in past years and the cumulative amount of campaign contributions in state senate races, including contributions in both primary and general election contests. All figures come from Follow The Money.

Total contributions, New Jersey State Senate
Year	Number of candidates	Total contributions
2011	97	$27,085,886
2007	98	$30,156,484
2003	123	$19,785,597
2001	104	$18,903,480
1997	72	$10,941,283

During the 2011 election, the total contributions to the 97 Senate candidates was $27,085,886. The top 10 contributors were:

2011 Donors, New Jersey State Senate
Donor	Amount
Senate Republican Majority of New Jersey	$1,079,798
Whelan for Senate Cooper & Tyner for Assembly	$716,500
New Jersey Republican Party	$471,297
Union City First	$245,323
New Jersey Regional Council of Carpenters	$209,200
Cmte to Elect Lesniak Cryan & Quijano	$198,225
New Jersey Association of Realtors	$156,550
New Jersey State Laborers	$135,800
New Jersey Education Association	$134,100
New Jersey Automobile Dealers Assocation	$122,893

Super PAC spending

The national super PAC the Fund for Jobs, Growth and Security was founded to prevent the popularity of Governor Chris Christie (R) from creating Republican majorities in New Jersey's 2013 elections. Democratic activists expressed concern that Christie's "coattails" would lead to a Republican state legislature and allow him to successfully promote a conservative agenda ahead of a presidential run in 2016. The Fund for Jobs, Growth and Security super PAC won a legal battle allowing it to spend unlimited amounts on state legislative campaigns in New Jersey. The super PAC's president is Susan McCue, who was dubbed by POLITICO as one of U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) "closest confidantes," is the organization's president.

Qualifications

In order to be a candidate to run for the New Jersey State Senate, a candidate must:

• Be a citizen of the United States
• Reside for no less than four years in the district the candidate plans to represent.
• Be 30 years of age or older.
• Obtain 100 signatures via petition and submit the signatures to the New Jersey Secretary of State.
• Disclose any criminal convictions.

Competitiveness

Candidates unopposed by a major party

2013 Competitiveness Overview
Primary competition (state comparison)
Incumbents with no challenges at all in 2013 Incumbents defeated • Victorious challengers • Primary competitiveness
Major party challengers (state comparison)
List of candidates with no competition
Open seats (state comparisons)
Long-serving senators • Long-serving reps
Chart Comparing 2013 Results
Comparisons Between Years
Competitiveness Index • Absolute Index
2013 State Legislative Elections
Competitiveness Studies from Other Years
2007 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2014

There was just one candidate, incumbent Raymond Lesniak (D), without competition in the November 5 general election and who was thus, barring unforeseen circumstances, guaranteed re-election in November. In one district, the major party candidate was opposed by only a third party candidate.

• District 25: Incumbent Anthony Bucco (R) was opposed by Maureen Castriotta (I).

Primary challenges
Seven incumbents faced competition in the June 4 primary. All seven incumbents defeated their primary challengers.

Retiring incumbents
One incumbent senator did not run for re-election, while 39 (97.5%) ran for re-election.

• District 18: Barbara Buono (D) declined to run for re-election, choosing to run in New Jersey's 2013 gubernatorial election. Buono and her running mate, Milly Silva, were defeated by Governor Chris Christie and Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno in the general election.

Impact of redistricting

See also: Redistricting in New Jersey

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, New Jersey's population increased from 8,414,350 to 8,791,894 between 2000 and 2010.

The New Jersey Redistricting Commission is responsible for redistricting. This is one of 11 commissions nationwide that is responsible for redistricting. This redistricting commission is composed of 10 members, chosen by the following:

• 5 by the Chairperson of the state Democratic Party
• 5 by the Chairperson of the state Republican Party

If a plan is not in place, the New Jersey Supreme Court selects an 11th member. For the third consecutive decade, Rutgers professor Alan Rosenthal was chosen as the tie-breaking member. Rosenthal was unable to get the commission to agree on a compromise map and therefore had to cast a tie-breaking vote. He ultimately went with the Democrats' map, stating that it "reflected the current distribution of partisan preferences in New Jersey."

Among the changes to the map:

• Somerset County would now be split among four districts. Before, it was in two.
• The new 12th District included parts of Monmouth, Ocean, Burlington and Middlesex counties.

List of candidates

District 1

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Jeff Van Drew a - Incumbent Van Drew first assumed office in 2008.

June 4 Republican primary:

• Robert G. Campbell: 1,230
• Susan Adelizzi Schmidt: 6,437 a

November 5 General election candidates:

Jeff Van Drew: 34,624

Susan Adelizzi Schmidt: 22,835

Thomas Greto: 825

District 2

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Jim Whelan a - Incumbent Whelan first assumed office in 2008.

June 4 Republican primary:

• Frank X. Balles: 6,853 a
• Marybeth Bennett: 1,291

November 5 General election candidates:

Jim Whelan: 29,333

Frank X. Balles: 24,006

District 3

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Stephen M. Sweeney a - Incumbent Sweeney first assumed office in 2004.

June 4 Republican primary:

• Niki A. Trunk a

November 5 General election candidates:

Stephen M. Sweeney: 31,045

Niki A. Trunk: 25,599

District 4

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Fred H. Madden a - Incumbent Madden first assumed office in 2004.

June 4 Republican primary:

• Giancarlo D'orazio a

November 5 General election candidates:

Fred H. Madden: 29,439

Giancarlo D'orazio: 21,376

District 5

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Donald W. Norcross a - Incumbent Norcross first assumed office in 2010.

June 4 Republican primary:

• Keith Walker a

November 5 General election candidates:

Donald W. Norcross: 25,383

Keith Walker: 18,448

District 6

June 4 Democratic primary:

• James Beach a - Incumbent Beach first assumed office in 2009.

June 4 Republican primary:

• Robert Shapiro: 1,089
• Sudhir Deshmukh: 2,736 a

November 5 General election candidates:

James Beach: 34,847

Sudhir Deshmukh: 20,080

District 7

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Gary Catrambone a

June 4 Republican primary:

• Diane Allen a - Incumbent Allen first assumed office in 1998.

November 5 General election candidates:

Gary Catrambone: 25,106

Diane Allen: 38,350

District 8

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Javier Vasquez a

June 4 Republican primary:

• Dawn Marie Addiego a - Incumbent Addiego first assumed office in 2010.

November 5 General election candidates:

Javier Vasquez: 20,633

Dawn Marie Addiego: 35,894

District 9

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Anthony Mazella a

June 4 Republican primary:

• Christopher J. Connors a - Incumbent Connors first assumed office in 2008.

November 5 General election candidates:

Anthony Mazella: 19,365

Christopher J. Connors: 46,949

District 10

June 4 Democratic primary:

• John Bendel a

June 4 Republican primary:

• Jim Holzapfel a - Incumbent Holzapfel first assumed office in 2012.

November 5 General election candidates:

John Bendel: 19,807

Jim Holzapfel: 45,565

District 11

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Michael Brantley a

June 4 Republican primary:

• Jennifer Beck a - Incumbent Beck first assumed office in 2008.

November 5 General election candidates:

Michael Brantley: 19,735

Jennifer Beck: 30,531

Marie Amato-Juckiewicz: 599

District 12

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Raymond D. Dothard a

June 4 Republican primary:

• Samuel D. Thompson a - Incumbent Thompson first assumed office in 2012.

November 5 General election candidates:

Raymond D. Dothard: 17,440

Samuel D. Thompson: 32,911

District 13

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Joseph Marques a

June 4 Republican primary:

• Joe Kyrillos, Jr.: 5,866 a Incumbent Kyrillos first assumed office in 1992.
• Leigh-Ann Bellew: 1,578

November 5 General election candidates:

Joseph Marques: 18,289

Joe Kyrillos, Jr.: 40,762

Mac Dara Lyden: 774

District 14

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Linda R. Greenstein a - Incumbent Greenstein first assumed office in 2010.

June 4 Republican primary:

• Peter A. Inverso a

November 5 General election candidates:

Linda R. Greenstein: 31,387

Peter A. Inverso: 29,903

Don Dezarn: 1,014

District 15

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Shirley K. Turner a - Incumbent Turner first assumed office in 1997.

June 4 Republican primary:

• Don Cox a

November 5 General election candidates:

Shirley K. Turner: 30,250

Don Cox: 17,507

District 16

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Christian R. Mastondrea a

June 4 Republican primary:

• Christopher Bateman a - Incumbent Bateman first assumed office in 1998.

November 5 General election candidates:

Christian R. Mastondrea: 22,990

Christopher Bateman: 34,865

District 17

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Bob Smith a - Incumbent Smith first assumed office in 2002.

June 4 Republican primary:

• Brian D. Levine a

November 5 General election candidates:

Bob Smith: 22,920

Brian D. Levine: 15,403

District 18

Incumbent Barbara Buono (D) did not seek re-election.

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Peter Barnes a

June 4 Republican primary:

• David Stahl a

November 5 General election candidates:

Peter Barnes: 25,063

David Stahl: 23,184

District 19

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Joseph F. Vitale a - Incumbent Vitale first assumed office in 1998.

June 4 Republican primary:

• Robert Luban a

November 5 General election candidates:

Joseph F. Vitale: 24,126

Robert Luban: 14,439

District 20

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Raymond Lesniak: 9,318 a Incumbent Lesniak first assumed office in 1983.
• Donna Obe: 4,819

June 4 Republican primary:

• No candidates filed for election.

Note: John Ponoso filed for election, but did not appear on the primary ballot.

Independent candidates:

• Pal Drejaj

Note: Drejaj did not appear on the general election ballot.

November 5 General election candidates:

Raymond Lesniak: 21,251

District 21

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Michael Komondy a

June 4 Republican primary:

• Thomas Kean a - Incumbent Kean first assumed office in 2004.

November 5 General election candidates:

Michael Komondy: 18,517

Thomas Kean: 42,423

District 22

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Nicholas P. Scutari: 6,948 a Incumbent Scutari first assumed office in 2004.
• Nancy Ward: 1,581

June 4 Republican primary:

• Robert Sherr a

November 5 General election candidates:

Nicholas P. Scutari: 24,899

Robert Sherr: 16,933

District 23

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Ben Auletta a

Note: Auletta was replaced by Gerard R. Bowers on the general election ballot.

June 4 Republican primary:

• Michael J. Doherty a - Incumbent Doherty first assumed office in 2010.

November 5 General election candidates:

Gerard R. Bowers: 17,311

Michael J. Doherty: 37,477

Daniel Seyler: 672

District 24

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Richard D. Tomko a

June 4 Republican primary:

• Steven V. Oroho a - Incumbent Oroho first assumed office in 2008.

November 5 General election candidates:

Richard D. Tomko: 16,292

Steven V. Oroho: 38,819

District 25

June 4 Democratic primary:

• No candidates filed for election.

June 4 Republican primary:

• Anthony Bucco a - Incumbent Bucco first assumed office in 1998.

November 5 General election candidates:

Anthony Bucco: 36,517

Maureen Castriotta: 5,577

District 26

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Avery Ann Hart a

June 4 Republican primary:

• Joe Pennacchio a - Incumbent Pennacchio first assumed office in 2008.

November 5 General election candidates:

Avery Ann Hart: 19,250

Joe Pennacchio: 35,772

District 27

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Richard J. Codey a - Incumbent Codey first assumed office in 1982.

June 4 Republican primary:

• Lee S. Holtzman a

November 5 General election candidates:

Richard J. Codey: 34,291

Lee S. Holtzman: 23,581

District 28

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Donald L. Rice a - Incumbent Rice first assumed office in 1986.

June 4 Republican primary:

• Frank Contella a

November 5 General election candidates:

Donald L. Rice: 27,265

Frank Contella: 8,744

District 29

June 4 Democratic primary:

• M. Teresa Ruiz a - Incumbent Ruiz first assumed office in 2008.

June 4 Republican primary:

• Raafat Barsoom a

November 5 General election candidates:

M. Teresa Ruiz: 16,078

Raafat Barsoom: 3,636

Pablo Olivera: 808

District 30

June 4 Democratic primary:

• William H. Field a

June 4 Republican primary:

• Robert W. Singer: 6,710 a Incumbent Singer first assumed office in 1994.
• Harold Herskowitz: 1,398

November 5 General election candidates:

William H. Field: 15,535

Robert W. Singer: 36,563

District 31

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Sandra Bolden Cunningham a - Incumbent Cunningham first assumed office in 2007.

June 4 Republican primary:

• Maria Karczewski a

November 5 General election candidates:

Sandra Bolden Cunningham: 18,822

Maria Karczewski: 6,932

District 32

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Nicholas J. Sacco: 10,169 a Incumbent Sacco first assumed office in 1994.
• Francisco E. Torres: 1,320

June 4 Republican primary:

• Paul Castelli a

November 5 General election candidates:

Nicholas J. Sacco: 20,098

Paul Castelli: 8,542

District 33

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Brian P. Stack a - Incumbent Stack first assumed office in 2008.

June 4 Republican primary:

• James Sanford a

November 5 General election candidates:

Brian P. Stack: 26,980

James Sanford: 6,460

District 34

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Nia H. Gill: 10,434 a - Incumbent Gill first assumed office in 2002.
• Mark C. Alexander: 4,310
• Vernon Pullins, Jr.: 1,248

June 4 Republican primary:

• Joseph S. Cupoli a

November 5 General election candidates:

Nia H. Gill: 27,132

Joseph S. Cupoli: 9,972

District 35

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Nellie Pou a - Incumbent Pou first assumed office in 2012.

June 4 Republican primary:

• Lynda Gallashaw: 907 a
• Hector L. Castillo: 568

November 5 General election candidates:

Nellie Pou: 22,154

Lynda Gallashaw: 7,737

District 36

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Paul A. Sarlo a - Incumbent Sarlo first assumed office in 2004.

June 4 Republican primary:

• Brian A. Fitzhenry a

November 5 General election candidates:

Paul A. Sarlo: 22,677

Brian A. Fitzhenry: 15,293

District 37

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Loretta Weinberg a - Incumbent Weinberg first assumed office in 2005.

June 4 Republican primary:

• Paul A. Duggen a

November 5 General election candidates:

Loretta Weinberg: 28,321

Paul A. Duggen: 13,038

District 38

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Bob Gordon a - Incumbent Gordon first assumed office in 2008.

June 4 Republican primary:

• Fernando A. Alonso a

November 5 General election candidates:

Bob Gordon: 27,779

Fernando A. Alonso: 25,767

District 39

June 4 Democratic primary:

• Jane E. Bidwell a

June 4 Republican primary:

• Gerald Cardinale a - Incumbent Cardinale first assumed office in 1982.

November 5 General election candidates:

Jane E. Bidwell: 21,616

Gerald Cardinale: 37,836

District 40

June 4 Democratic primary:

• William Meredith Ashley a

June 4 Republican primary:

• Kevin J. O'Toole a - Incumbent O'Toole first assumed office in 2008.

November 5 General election candidates:

William Meredith Ashley: 19,401

Kevin J. O'Toole: 37,565

External links

• Associated Press, New Jersey - Summary Vote Results
• New Jersey Department of State, Official 2013 Primary Candidates
• New Jersey Department of State, Official Primary Results
• New Jersey Department of State, Official General Election Candidates
• New Jersey Department of State, Official General Election results

See also

• New Jersey State Senate
• New Jersey State Legislature
• State legislative elections, 2013

Additional reading

• POLITICO, "Democrats eye super PACs for state races," September 22, 2013

Footnotes

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Current members of the New Jersey State Senate

Leadership

Senate President:Nicholas Scutari

Majority Leader:Teresa Ruiz

Minority Leader:Anthony Bucco

Senators

District 1

Mike Testa (R)

District 2

Vincent Polistina (R)

District 3

John Burzichelli (D)

District 4

Paul Moriarty (D)

District 5

Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D)

District 6

James Beach (D)

District 7

Troy Singleton (D)

District 8

Latham Tiver (R)

District 9

Carmen Amato (R)

District 10

James Holzapfel (R)

District 11

Vin Gopal (D)

District 12

Owen Henry (R)

District 13

Declan O'Scanlon (R)

District 14

Linda Greenstein (D)

District 15

Shirley Turner (D)

District 16

Andrew Zwicker (D)

District 17

Bob Smith (D)

District 18

Patrick Diegnan (D)

District 19

Joseph Vitale (D)

District 20

Joseph Cryan (D)

District 21

Jon Bramnick (R)

District 22

Nicholas Scutari (D)

District 23

Doug Steinhardt (R)

District 24

Parker Space (R)

District 25

Anthony Bucco (R)

District 26

Joseph Pennacchio (R)

District 27

John McKeon (D)

District 28

Renee Burgess (D)

District 29

Teresa Ruiz (D)

District 30

Robert Singer (R)

District 31

Angela McKnight (D)

District 32

Raj Mukherji (D)

District 33

Brian Stack (D)

District 34

Britnee Timberlake (D)

District 35

Benjie Wimberly (D)

District 36

Paul Sarlo (D)

District 37

Gordon Johnson (D)

District 38

Joseph Lagana (D)

District 39

Holly Schepisi (R)

District 40

Kristin Corrado (R)

Democratic Party (25)

Republican Party (15)