New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2021 (June 8 Republican primary)

Elections in New Jersey, 2021

• Primary date: 6/8/2021
• Primary type: Semi-closed
• Registration deadline(s): 5/18/2021
• Online registration: Yes
• Same-day registration: No

• Early voting starts: N/A
• Absentee/mail voting deadline(s): 6/8/2021 (postmarked)
• Voter ID: No ID
• Poll times: 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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2025 → ← 2017
Governor of New Jersey
Democratic primary Republican primary General election
Election details
Filing deadline: April 5, 2021
Primary: June 8, 2021 General: November 2, 2021 Pre-election incumbent(s): Phil Murphy (D)
How to vote
Poll times: 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Voting in New Jersey
Ballotpedia analysis
Federal and state primary competitiveness State executive elections in 2021 Impact of term limits in 2021 State government trifectas State government triplexes Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2021
New Jersey executive elections
Governor Lieutenant governor

Jack Ciattarelli defeated Philip Rizzo, Hirsh Singh, and Brian Levine in the Republican primary for Governor of New Jersey on June 8, 2021. He ran as the party's nominee in the state's gubernatorial election on November 2, 2021. Ciattarelli received 49.5% of the vote, followed by Rizzo with 25.7%, Singh with 21.6%, and Levine with 3.3%.

Two of the four candidates—Ciattarelli and Singh—qualified for matching funds from the state. Rizzo also applied for the program, but his application was denied. The two-for-one matching funds program required candidates to raise at least $490,000 and to participate in a pair of primary debates. The program allowed candidates to receive two dollars of public funds for every dollar they raise from private sources. Participation in this program required candidates to limit their spending to $7.3 million for primary elections.

The four candidates had differing views on former President Donald Trump (R) and the results of the 2020 presidential election. At a debate on May 26, Ciattarelli said that Biden won the 2020 presidential election but that Trump was still the standard-bearer of the national party until a new leader was elected. Levine said he supported some of Trump's policies but that the Republican Party needed to switch its focus from Trump to economic issues. Rizzo met Trump at Mar-a-Lago in May 2021 and posted on social media comparing his campaign to Trump's 2016 campaign. At May 26 debate, Singh called Trump "the greatest president of my lifetime and probably for many people’s lifetimes," and said that election fraud led to Biden's 2020 victory.

As of June 1, 2021, two of the three major race rating outlets rated the general election as Solid Democratic and the third rated it as Likely Democratic, but Republicans had success in the state's gubernatorial races in the recent past. Between 1992 and 2021, Republicans held the governorship for 16 years and Democrats held the governorship for 14 years. Heading into the 2021 election, the last Democratic governor to win re-election was Brendan Byrne in 1977. Since then, two sitting Democratic governors, Jim Florio (1993) and Jon Corzine (2009), lost re-election to Republican challengers. This page focuses on New Jersey's Republican gubernatorial primary. For more in-depth information on New Jersey's Democratic gubernatorial primary and the general election, see the following pages:

• New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2021 (June 8 Democratic primary)
• New Jersey gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2021

This election was a battleground race. Other 2021 battlegrounds included:

Louisiana's 2nd Congressional District special election, 2021 Mayoral election in Atlanta, Georgia (November 2, 2021 general election) Newark Public Schools, New Jersey, elections (2021)

Candidates and election results

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Governor of New Jersey

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jack Ciattarelli	49.5	167,690
		Philip Rizzo	25.7	87,007
		Hirsh Singh	21.6	73,155
		Brian Levine	3.3	11,181

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source 1 Source 2	Total votes: 339,033
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Doug Steinhardt (R)

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff compiled a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy.

Jack Ciattarelli

Jack Ciattarelli

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

New Jersey General Assembly (2011-2018)

Biography:  Ciattarelli received a B.S. in accounting and an M.B.A in finance from Seton Hall University. His professional experience includes being a publisher and the owner of Galen Publishing, LLC.

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Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

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Ciattarelli said he supported returning Atlantic City assets and decision-making power to local control from the state. "It's time to end this ridiculous takeover and restore local control. Let the elected officials in Atlantic City and Atlantic County figure out how to best move this city forward," he said.

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Ciattarelli highlighted his experience starting a pair of businesses in the state and said he would "restore affordability, accountability and prosperity" to New Jersey.

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Show sources

Sources: Jack Ciattarelli's 2021 campaign website, "Ciattarelli Slams Murphy for Dishonest Double-Dealing on Atlantic City Takeover," April 13, 2021 ; Jack Ciattarelli's 2021 campaign website, "NEW: Jack Ciattarelli Releases First TV Ads For 2021 Gubernatorial Election," April 13, 2021; Jack Ciattarelli's 2021 campaign website, "Jack's Story," accessed April 23, 2021

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of New Jersey in 2021.

Brian Levine

Brian Levine

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

• Franklin Township Mayor
• Somerset County Freeholder

Biography:  Levine received a B.S. in economics from Rutgers University and an M.B.A from Rutgers Graduate School of Business. His professional experience includes working as a CPA.

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Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

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Levine said he would use his experience in finance to address fiscal issues in the state. He told the New Jersey Globe, "In the best of times, these last few years, New Jersey is broke. Now New Jersey is destitute with no survival plans."

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Levine described himself as a Trenton outsider and told the New Jersey Globe that he would run a grassroots campaign. "If I run, it will be a grass roots campaign. Just like I was ‘The People’s Mayor,’ I seek to be ‘The People’s Governor’ if I run and succeed," he said.

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Show sources

Sources: New Jersey Globe, "Brian Levine says he’ll explore running for governor in 2021," January 1, 2021; Brian Levine's 2021 campaign website, "Meet Brian," accessed April 23, 2021

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of New Jersey in 2021.

Philip Rizzo

Philip Rizzo

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography:  Rizzo received a B.S. in business management from Villanova University. His professional experience includes working in real estate, construction, and as a pastor.

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Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

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Rizzo said that education was a priority of his campaign. He said he wanted to change funding formulas to improve school equity and that he wanted to increase the number of public charter schools in the state.

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Rizzo said he supported reducing spending and taxes in addition to a balanced state budget. "I will work with our legislature to cut the fat from our budget so that we can get that money out of wasteful pet projects and back into the pockets of New Jersey families," he said.

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Show sources

Sources: Philip Rizzo's 2021 campaign website, "Issues," accessed April 23, 2021; Philip Rizzo's 2021 campaign website, "About Phil Rizzo," accessed April 23, 2021

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of New Jersey in 2021.

Hirsh Singh

Hirsh Singh

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography:  Singh received a B.S. in engineering science, biomedical tissue engineering, and material science from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. His professional experience includes working for his family's engineering business specializing in missile defense, satellite navigation, and aviation security and safety.

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Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

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Singh said he would work to resolve the debt caused by the state's pension system. "We must stop the bleeding and correct course or the citizens of New Jersey will become no different than indebted serfs from the dark ages. I will not allow it. I will fix it," he said.

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Singh said that the state's most valuable non-natural resource was its infrastructure and that he would work to improve connections between the state and Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and New York City.

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Show sources

Sources: Hirsh Singh's 2021 campaign website, "Issues," accessed April 23, 2021; Hirsh Singh's 2021 campaign website, "My Story," accessed April 23, 2021

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of New Jersey in 2021.

Noteworthy primary endorsements

This section includes noteworthy endorsements issued in the primary, added as we learn about them. Click here to read how we define noteworthy primary endorsements. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please email us.

Republican primary endorsements
Endorsement	Ciattarelli	Levine	Rizzo	Singh
Elected officials
U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.)	✔
Vineland Mayor Anthony Fanucci	✔
Organizations
Atlantic County Republican Party	✔
Bergen County Republican Party	✔
Burlington County Republican Party	✔
Camden County Republican Party	✔
Cape May County Republican Party	✔
Essex County Republican Party	✔
Gloucester County Republican Party	✔
Hudson County Republican Party	✔
Hunterdon County Republican Party	✔
Mercer County Republican Party	✔
Middlesex County Republican Party	✔
Monmouth County Republican Party	✔
Morris County Republican Party	✔
Ocean County Republican Party	✔
Passaic County Republican Party	✔
Sussex County Republican Party	✔
Warren County Republican Party	✔

Timeline

2021

• May 2021 (click to collapse)

  May 2021

  • May 27, 2021: Public Policy Polling released a poll finding Ciattarelli leading Singh 29-23 with 38% undecided.
  • May 25, 2021: Ciattarelli and Singh participated in a debate hosted by New Jersey 101.5 FM.
  • May 24, 2021: NJ PBS canceled the virtual debate scheduled for May 26.
  • May 21, 2021: Singh announced that he would not participate in the NJ PBS virtual debate on May 26.

• April 2021 (click to expand)

  April 2021

  • April 26, 2021: Rizzo announced he filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn ELEC's decision, writing that it was "arbitrary, capricious and unreasonable."
  • April 22, 2021: ELEC unanimously ruled that Rizzo did not qualify for either public matching funds or official debates.
  • April 16, 2021: U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.) endorsed Ciattarelli.
  • April 15, 2021: The Warren County Republican Party endorsed Ciattarelli.
  • April 14, 2021: Singh qualified for the primary debates.
  • April 5, 2021: The candidate filing deadline passed. Four candidates filed to run in the Republican primary.

Campaign themes

See also: Campaign themes

Jack Ciattarelli

Campaign website

“	Lower Property Taxes Lower property taxes to make home ownership more affordable Reform the tax code to help families and make New Jersey competitive Stronger Economy Build an open economy to promote growth and opportunity for all Upgrade infrastructure to improve safety and facilitate commerce Rights & Freedoms Fix our broken immigration system Defend the rights of law-abiding citizens Promote healthy children and families Secure & Fair Elections Affordable Healthcare Make healthcare more affordable and protect medical freedom	”
—Jack Ciattarelli’s campaign website (2021)

Brian Levine

Campaign website

“	I'm Brian Levine, I'm running as GOP candidate for Governor of New Jersey. New Jersey needs a Governor who understands finances and the fiscal issues that have plagued our state for so long. As a CPA and finance expert I will help solve these issues caused by past and current administrations. I plan to provide incentives to help small businesses, make health insurance affordable and available to those who need it, stabilize taxes, provide relief and support for those in need from this dreaded pandemic. We need to provide help to all of our citizens, people are hurting, leadership is needed!	”
—Brian Levine’s campaign website (2021)

Philip Rizzo

Campaign website

“	Reopen New Jersey It’s time for the people of New Jersey to get our lives back. Prolonged closures and government mandates are bringing a host of unintended consequences for kids, families, and our economy. One in three New Jersey small businesses will never open their doors again. I will prioritize allowing businesses to safely reopen. Many of our kids are falling behind during a pivotal time in their education. Many lack the appropriate resources or technology to successfully work from home. I will work with our schools to bring back an in-person option for kids who have been struggling to learn for over a year. Bold Education Reform We need an education mindset that puts our kids first. We need to take a hard look at our funding and make changes where dollars aren’t being used effectively or making it to the classrooms that need it most. Some schools and districts are un-equitably funded, failing our students. I’m also a believer in education freedom. New Jersey kids from north to south should have more opportunities available to them. We’ve seen the success of public charter schools within New Jersey and across the country. I will prioritize launching new and innovative charters in more of our communities. Cut Spending, Lower Tax Burden New Jerseyans are struggling under the weight of high taxes. We must reduce that burden. But before we can cut taxes, we must cut spending. For businesses and families, cutting spending and working within a budget are common sense. But that’s not how Trenton operates. That must change or New Jersey families will continue to struggle and look to move elsewhere. I will work with our legislature to cut the fat from our budget so that we can get that money out of wasteful pet projects and back into the pockets of New Jersey families. Rein in Executive Power The natural tendency of government is to grow and seize power that doesn’t belong to it. We’ve seen that in the extreme during COVID-19. The current Governor has become far too powerful, often bullying New Jerseyans to do what he thinks best. Reining in executive power will be a priority. But we can’t even begin until we have an executive with the will to rein in his or her own power. As Governor, I will return the executive to its intended constraints and stop trying to control the lives of New Jerseyans. Protect our elections Many New Jerseyans are struggling with this question: “does my vote matter?” We must ensure that New Jerseyans, regardless of party, feel that they can trust our core democratic institutions. That requires that we have transparency and accountability from our election officials at every level. I will take a thorough look at New Jersey’s election processes and work to close loopholes that allow for fraud, mandate statewide voter roll clean-up processes, re-establish the right of every citizen to vote in person, support the creation and use of voter ID cards, and ensure that no foreign-made voting machines or software are used in New Jersey. Stand up for Conservative Values New Jersey families and New Jerseyans with conservative values have been bullied too long. I will respect family autonomy (your front door) and stand up for the rights guaranteed under our Constitution. Life. Religious Freedom. Freedom of Speech. The Second Amendment. Medical Freedom. I will protect your right as a parent - not government - to direct the upbringing of your children. These are the values that will lead to a healthy and thriving New Jersey.	”
—Philip Rizzo’s campaign website (2021)

Hirsh Singh

Campaign website

“	Economic Growth New Jersey needs real economic growth because we are about $240 billion in debt. This is because our state has been run by criminals and mobsters for decades. With the right leadership, New Jersey can become an economic engine yet again. Transportation and Infrastructure New Jersey’s most valuable (non-natural) resource is our infrastructure! We are the backbone of America, connecting Washington D.C., Philadelphia and New York City. Our international ports of trade and transit unite America with the world, yet our infrastructure is crumbling! School Choice & Property Taxes Education is the cornerstone of opportunity and the foundation of the American meritocracy. Americans should have the best education, period. From elementary schools to colleges and universities, our historical progress has always started with good educational facilities. Unfortunately, progress is now threatened by overreaching government influence and political special interests. By fighting for strong schools and ending excessive government interference, we can give every child an equal chance at achieving the American Dream. That means decentralizing educational regulation, with the goal of eliminating federal influence entirely. We must promote school-choice policies at the state and local levels. We also must promote a return to healthy and diverse debate in our universities, an activity that’s become biased toward far-left political ideology. No college or university should be able to receive any federal funding without publicly presenting a balanced and unbiased admissions process, as well as curriculum and faculty. Legal Immigration Only Illegal immigration is just that: illegal. And the costs of encouraging it are significant: No other country on earth encourages or facilitates illegal immigration as we do. The disrespect it shows to people who came here legally — like my family — cannot be understated. Those coming here illegally during the pandemic threaten public health and undermine opportunities for unemployed Americans to get back to work. Every criminal act by an illegal alien inflicts a loss that simply should never have happened. Most often, recent legal immigrants are the victims of this criminal behavior. Illegal aliens strain public resources like schools, hospitals, and welfare/work programs that American tax dollars support — for American citizens. Second Amendment & Concealed Carry The Second Amendment guarantees our constitutional right to own firearms, carry them how we choose and use them in defense of ourselves and our loved ones. We must affirm these rights in New Jersey, remove limitations to ownership and concealed carry, and enact reciprocity legislation to ensure our constitutional rights are respected within and beyond our state borders. Drug Laws and Criminal Reform Growing evidence shows that innovative approaches to drug laws are working. In keeping with these successes, it is time to regulate and tax cannabis in the same way as alcohol. This strategy will free up law enforcement to combat more serious issues, such as illegal smuggling across our borders. It will also encourage the treatment of drug addiction as a public health issue. New Jersey is not California — and we don't want to be like them. To avoid creating a massive drug black market, any drug approved for recreational consumption should be minimally taxed, if at all. California currently has the largest marijuana black market in the world for a reason: their heavy-handed bureacracy simply doesn't work. We should not repeat their mistakes. In addition to these measures, we must end the practice of Civil Asset Forfeiture, which currently allows law enforcement agencies to seize private property without charges or a conviction. Medical Malpractice & Tort Reform Medical malpractice and tort reform are desperately needed to reduce the costs of healthcare in New Jersey. Together, we must: Work to cap malpractice damages so providers can serve larger communities Empower practitioners to recoup economic damages from frivolous lawsuits Enact appropriate statutes of limitations on claims to eliminate fraud and abuse Defend Life I am a defender of life. I respect those who have a different opinion but the move by some states to allow late-term abortion and post-birth infanticide is atrocious. As your Governor, I will fight to: Eliminate all taxpayer funding of organizations like Planned Parenthood Enact the “Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act” Promote adoption as a viable option before a baby’s birth. Today, more couples are experiencing fertility problems than ever before; if handled properly, adoptions for unwanted pregnancies can make many couples’ dreams come true. Big Tech Censorship & The First Amendment New Jersey is one of America's most critical flashpoints when it comes to one of our most fundamental rights: Freedom of Expression. Although our right to free speech is protected by the First Amendment of our Constitution, that's hardly stopped Democrats from doing whatever they can to infringe upon our rights. Aided by billions of dollars in private funding and backed by Big Tech entities like Facebook, Twitter, and more, the attack on American values and conservative thought has been expanded to the digital realm.	”
—Hirsh Singh’s campaign website (2021)

Campaign advertisements

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.

Jack Ciattarelli

Supporting Ciattarelli

"Anderson Street" - Ciattarelli campaign ad, released March 17, 2021

Opposing Singh

"Police Terror" - Ciattarelli campaign ad, released May 26, 2021

"The Con" - Ciattarelli campaign ad, released May 16, 2021

Brian Levine

Levine did not publish any campaign ads.

Philip Rizzo

Rizzo did not publish any campaign ads.

Hirsh Singh

Singh did not publish any campaign ads.

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2021: Republican primary election polls
Poll	Date	Ciattarelli	Levine	Rizzo	Singh	Other	Margin of error	Sample size	Sponsor
Public Policy Polling	May 24-25, 2021	29 %	2%	8%	23%	38%	± 4.1	591	Democratic Governors Association

Campaign finance

The chart below details contributions and expenditures for candidates in this race.

Satellite spending

See also: Satellite spending

Satellite spending, commonly referred to as outside spending, describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.

This section lists satellite spending in this race reported by news outlets in alphabetical order. If you are aware of spending that should be included, please email us.

Debates and forums

Two official debates were scheduled for this election. Ciattarelli and Singh qualified for the two debates.

• May 25, 2021: Hosted and sponsored by New Jersey 101.5 FM (WKXY) in the station's Ewing studio.
• May 26, 2021: Virtual debate hosted and sponsored by New Jersey PBS.
  • On May 21, 2021, Singh announced that he would not participate in this debate. He said that NJ PBS tried to violate his medical freedom by holding a virtual debate and demanded it to be held in person. NJ PBS spokeswoman Debra Falk said that the studio space was under construction and that both campaigns previously agreed to the terms of the virtual debate.
  • On May 24, 2021, NJ PBS canceled the debate.

Primaries in New Jersey

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. New Jersey utilizes a semi-closed primary process, in which the selection of a party's candidates in an election is generally limited to registered party members. Unaffiliated voters can register as party members at the polls on primary election day. Otherwise, a voter must indicate his or her party preference (e.g., via an updated voter registration) no later than the 55th day preceding the primary in order to vote in that party's primary.

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Noteworthy events

Rizzo denied participation in matching funds program (April 2021)

The Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) denied Rizzo's application for public matching funds after his campaign filed its financial documents late. Rizzo filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn ELEC's decision with the New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division. Judge Jose L. Fuentes denied Rizzo's request, saying that the candidate “has not presented any legal or factual basis to disturb the decision reached by ELEC."

What's at stake in the general election?

See also: State government trifectas

The general election for governor helped determine the state's trifecta status until the next set of legislative elections in 2023. A state government trifecta is a term to describe single party government, when one political party holds three positions in a state's government: the governorship and majorities in both chambers of the state legislature. Prior to the 2021 general election, New Jersey was a Democratic trifecta since 2018, when Gov. Phil Murphy (D) succeeded former Gov. Chris Christie (R).

General election race ratings

Race ratings: New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2021
Race tracker	Race ratings
	November 1, 2021	October 26, 2021	October 19, 2021	October 12, 2021
The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball	Likely Democratic	Likely Democratic	Likely Democratic	Likely Democratic
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every week throughout the election season.

Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

Two of 21 New Jersey counties—9.5 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
County	Trump margin of victory in 2016	Obama margin of victory in 2012	Obama margin of victory in 2008
Gloucester County, New Jersey	0.48%	10.77%	12.16%
Salem County, New Jersey	15.00%	1.31%	3.92%

In the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton (D) won New Jersey with 55.5 percent of the vote. Donald Trump (R) received 41.4 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, New Jersey voted Democratic 46.67 percent of the time and Republican 53.33 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, New Jersey voted Democratic all five times.

Election history

2017

See also: New Jersey gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2017

New Jersey held an election for governor and lieutenant governor on November 7, 2017. Governor Chris Christie (R) was term-limited and ineligible to run for re-election. New Jersey elects its governor and lieutenant governor together on a joint ticket.

The general election took place on November 7, 2017. The primary election was held on June 6, 2017. The filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in the primary election was April 3, 2017.

The following candidates ran in the election for Governor and Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey.

New Jersey Gubernatorial and Lieutenant Gubernatorial Election, 2017
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Phil Murphy/Sheila Oliver	56.03%	1,203,110
	Republican	Kim Guadagno/Carlos Rendo	41.89%	899,583
	Independent	Gina Genovese/Derel Stroud	0.57%	12,294
	Libertarian	Peter Rohrman/Karese Laguerre	0.49%	10,531
	Green	Seth Kaper-Dale/Lisa Durden	0.47%	10,053
	Constitution	Matt Riccardi	0.32%	6,864
	Independent	Vincent Ross/April Johnson	0.23%	4,980
Total Votes (6385/6385 precincts reporting)				2,147,415
Source: New Jersey Division of Elections

Kim Guadagno defeated Jack Ciattarelli, Hirsh Singh, Joseph Rudy Rullo, and Steve Rogers in the Republican primary.

New Jersey Republican Gubernatorial Primary, 2017
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Kim Guadagno	46.82%	113,846
Jack Ciattarelli	31.08%	75,556
Hirsh Singh	9.76%	23,728
Joseph Rudy Rullo	6.51%	15,816
Steve Rogers	5.84%	14,187
Total Votes		243,133
Source: New Jersey Division of Elections

Phil Murphy defeated Jim Johnson, John Wisniewski, Ray Lesniak, Bill Brennan, and Mark Zinna in the Democratic primary.

New Jersey Democratic Gubernatorial Primary, 2017
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Phil Murphy	48.42%	243,643
Jim Johnson	21.91%	110,250
John Wisniewski	21.57%	108,532
Ray Lesniak	4.83%	24,318
Bill Brennan	2.24%	11,263
Mark Zinna	1.04%	5,213
Total Votes		503,219
Source: New Jersey Division of Elections

2013

On November 5, 2013, Chris Christie won re-election to the office of Governor of New Jersey. On November 5, 2013, Chris Christie and Kim Guadagno (R) won re-election as Governor and Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey. They defeated the Buono/Silva (D), Kaplan/Bell (L), Welzer/Alessandrini (I), Sare/Todd (I), Araujo/Salamanca (I), Schroeder/Moschella (I) and Boss/Thorne (I) ticket(s) in the general election.

Governor and Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey, 2013
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Chris Christie & Kim Guadagno	60.3%	1,278,932
	Democratic	Barbara Buono & Milly Silva	38.2%	809,978
	Libertarian	Kenneth Kaplan & Brenda Bell	0.6%	12,155
	Independent	Steven Welzer & Patricia Alessandrini	0.4%	8,295
	Independent	Diane Sare & Bruce Todd	0.2%	3,360
	Independent	William Araujo & Maria Salamanca	0.2%	3,300
	Independent	Hank Schroeder & Patricia Moschella	0.1%	2,784
	Independent	Jeff Boss & Robert Thorne	0.1%	2,062
Total Votes				2,120,866
Election Results Via: New Jersey Department of State

2009

On November 3, 2009, Chris Christie won election to the office of Governor of New Jersey. He defeated Jon Corzine, Chris Daggett, Kenneth Kaplan, Gary Steele, Jason Cullen, and David Meiswinkle in the general election.

Governor of New Jersey, 2009
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Chris Christie	48.6%	1,174,445
	Democratic	Jon Corzine Incumbent	45%	1,087,731
	Independent	Chris Daggett	5.8%	139,579
	Libertarian	Kenneth Kaplan	0.2%	4,830
	Leadership, Independence, Vision	Gary Steele	0.1%	3,585
	People Not Politics	Jason Cullen	0.1%	2,869
	Middle Class Empowerment	David Meiswinkle	0.1%	2,598
Total Votes				2,415,637
Election results via http://elections.nj.com/dynamic/files/elections/2009/by_state/NJ_Governor_1103.html?SITE=NJNEWELN&SECTION=POLITICS.

2005

On November 8, 2005, Jon Corzine won election to the office of Governor of New Jersey. He defeated Douglas Forrester, Hector Castillo, Jeffrey Pawlowski, Matthew Thieke, Richard Codey, and Ed Forchion in the general election.

Governor of New Jersey, 2005
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Jon Corzine	53.6%	1,224,551
	Republican	Douglas Forrester	43.1%	985,271
	Independent	Hector Castillo	1.3%	29,452
	Libertarian	Jeffrey Pawlowski	0.7%	15,417
	Green	Matthew Thieke	0.5%	12,315
	Independent	Richard Codey Incumbent	0.4%	9,668
	Legalize Marijuana	Ed Forchion	0.4%	9,137
Total Votes				2,285,811
Election results via http://nj.gov/state/elections/election-results/2005_official_gen_elect_gov.pdf.

2001

On November 6, 2001, James McGreevey won re-election to the office of Governor of New Jersey. He defeated Bret Schundler, William Schluter, Jerry Coleman, Mark Edgerton, George Watson Jr, Michael Koontz, Constantino Rozzo, and Kari Sachs in the general election.

Governor of New Jersey, 2001
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	James McGreevey	56.4%	1,256,853
	Republican	Bret Schundler	41.7%	928,174
	Independent	William Schluter	1.1%	24,084
	Green	Jerry Coleman	0.3%	6,238
	Libertarian	Mark Edgerton	0.2%	4,684
	Free New Jersey	George Watson Jr	0.1%	2,568
	NJ Conservative	Michael Koontz	0.1%	1,949
	Socialist	Constantino Rizzo	0.1%	1,537
	Socialist Workers	Kari Sachs	0%	1,078
Total Votes				2,227,165
Election results via http://nj.gov/state/elections/election-results/2001-general-elect-gov-tallies.pdf.

State profile

Demographic data for New Jersey
	New Jersey	U.S.
Total population:	8,935,421	316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):	7,354	3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:	68.3%	73.6%
Black/African American:	13.5%	12.6%
Asian:	9%	5.1%
Native American:	0.2%	0.8%
Pacific Islander:	0%	0.2%
Two or more:	2.5%	3%
Hispanic/Latino:	19%	17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:	88.6%	86.7%
College graduation rate:	36.8%	29.8%
Income
Median household income:	$72,093	$53,889
Persons below poverty level:	12.7%	11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in New Jersey. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

Presidential voting pattern

See also: Presidential voting trends in New Jersey

New Jersey voted for the Democratic candidate in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.

Pivot Counties (2016)

Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, two are located in New Jersey, accounting for 0.97 percent of the total pivot counties.

Pivot Counties (2020)

In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. New Jersey had one Retained Pivot County and one Boomerang Pivot County, accounting for 0.55 and 4.00 percent of all Retained and Boomerang Pivot Counties, respectively.

More New Jersey coverage on Ballotpedia

• Elections in New Jersey
• United States congressional delegations from New Jersey
• Public policy in New Jersey
• Endorsers in New Jersey
• New Jersey fact checks
• More...

See also

External links

Suggest a link

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• Governor of New Jersey official website

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