2008 United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey|
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Majority party
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Minority party
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| Party
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Democratic
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Republican
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| Last election
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7
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6
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| Seats won
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8
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5
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| Seat change
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1
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1
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| Popular vote
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1,911,827
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1,461,820
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| Percentage
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55.61%
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42.52%
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| Swing
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0.91%
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0.25%
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District results
County results
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Democratic
40–50%
50–60%
60–70%
70–80%
90–100%
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Republican
40–50%
50–60%
60–70%
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The 2008 congressional elections in New Jersey were held on November 4, 2008 to determine who would represent the state of New Jersey in the United States House of Representatives. New Jersey has thirteen seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States census. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected serve din the 111th Congress from January 4, 2009 until January 3, 2011. The election coincided with the 2008 U.S. presidential election.
The statewide party primary elections were held June 3, 2008.
District 3 was the only seat which changed party (from open Republican to Democratic), although CQ Politics had forecasted districts 3, 5 and 7 to be at some risk for the incumbent party. This is the last time that any district saw one party run uncontested, in this case, the 10th.
Overview
| United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey, 2008[1]
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| Party
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Votes
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Percentage
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Seats
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+/–
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Democratic
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1,911,827
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55.61%
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8
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1
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|
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Republican
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1,461,820
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42.52%
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5
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1
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|
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Green
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12,554
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0.37%
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0
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Libertarian
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1,600
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0.05%
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0
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Constitution
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1,551
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0.05%
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0
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Independents
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48,628
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1.41%
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0
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| Totals
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3,437,980
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100.00%
|
13
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—
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District 1
This district contains all or parts of Burlington, Camden and Gloucester counties.
Democratic primary
Candidates
- Camille Andrews, wife of incumbent U.S. Representative Rob Andrews[2]
- John Caramanna
- David G. Evans
- Mahdi Ibn-Ziyad
Declined
Incumbent Democrat Rob Andrews, in a surprise move on April 2, 2008, announced that he would challenge incumbent United States Senator Frank Lautenberg in the June primary.[3] His House seat, which was reliably Democratic (CPVI D+14), thus became an open seat. However, the filing deadline for primary candidates was April 7, leaving only a few days for candidates to declare. As a result, Andrews's wife Camille, who had the organizational support of all three county parties within the district, was the lone candidate to join the race following his withdrawal.
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
- Dale Glading, founder of Saints Prison Ministry
- Fernando Powers
Results
General election
Candidates
- Rob Andrews, incumbent Representative from Haddon Heights since 1990 (Democratic)
- Margaret M. Chapman (Back to Basics)
- Dale Glading, founder of Saints Prison Ministry (Republican)
- Alvin Lindsay Jr. (Lindsay for Congress)
- Matthew Thieke (Green)
- Everitt M. Williams III (Think Independently)
Withdrew
- Camille Andrews, wife of incumbent U.S. Representative Rob Andrews (Democratic) (withdrew September 3)
After his defeat in the U.S. Senate primary, Rob Andrews decided to run for re-election to his House seat. His wife Camille, who had won the Democratic nomination in the June primary, withdrew on September 3, and Rob Andrews announced on September 4 that he would take her place as the Democratic candidate. He maintained that his wife had not been merely a placeholder candidate and said that he had only decided to run one week before his announcement. According to Andrews, his change of heart was a result of personal reflection.[2]
Results
District 2
This district lies in the southern part of the state, containing all or portions of Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May: Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties.
Republican primary
Candidates
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Results
General election
Candidates
- Peter F. Boyce (Constitution)
- Jason M. Grover (Green)
- Dave Kurkowski, Cape May councilman (Democratic)
- Frank LoBiondo, incumbent Representative from Millville since 1995 (Republican)
- Costantino Rozzo (Socialist)
- Gary Stein (Rock the Boat)
Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets
Results
District 3
2008 New Jersey's 3rd congressional district election|
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This district contains all or portions of Burlington, Camden and Ocean counties.
Republican primary
Candidates
Withdrew
Declined
Endorsements
John P. Kelly
- County party organizations
- Ocean County Republican Party[4]
Chris Myers
- County party organizations
- Burlington County Republican Party[4]
- Camden County Republican Party[4]
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Results
General election
Candidates
Campaign
Incumbent Republican Jim Saxton announced that he would retire at the end of his term.[8] A mid-September internal poll by McLaughlin & Associates showed Myers defeating Adler by a margin of 33% to 29%, with a 37% plurality of voters undecided.[9] The poll attributed Myers' lead to a general dissatisfaction among voters towards Adler's negative ads and negative mailers from various political committees supporting the Democrat. It also indicated that Adler's low approval ratings were partially due to the perception that he is a "career politician" and the fact that he is an Ivy League-educated lawyer. Adler's association with unpopular Democratic governor Jon Corzine also hurt him, while Myers was helped from his endorsement by incumbent Rep. Jim Saxton, who held a 53 percent favorable rating.[10] However, later polls indicated that the race was too close to call.
Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets
Results
District 4
This district lies in the central part of the state, including all or portions of Burlington County, Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean counties.
Republican primary
Candidates
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Results
General election
Candidates
- Chris Smith, incumbent Representative since 1981 (Republican)
- Steven Welzer (Green)
- Joshua Zeitz, author and historian (Democratic)
Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets
Results
District 5
This district contains most of the Northern New Jersey Skylands Region of Sussex and Warren counties and stretches along the New York border into Northern Passaic and Bergen Counties, including the townships of Paramus and Ridgewood.
Republican incumbent Scott Garrett had been elected by safe margins in the past but in 2006 he only won by 10 points against Paul Aronsohn, the smallest margin of his career. Garrett was the only incumbent in the state thought to possibly be at risk.
Republican primary
Candidates
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
- Carmen Abate, Glen Rock lawyer and candidate for this seat in 2006
- Roger Bacon, perennial candidate
- Dennis Shulman, psychologist, public speaker, and rabbi
Results
General election
Candidates
Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets
Results
District 6
Incumbent Frank Pallone defeated Republican challenger Robert McLeod, a municipal judge. Between 2003 and 2013, this district covered parts of Middlesex, Monmouth, Somerset and Union counties.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
- Peter Cerrato
- James P. Hogan
- Robert E. McLeod, municipal judge
Results
General election
Candidates
- Robert McLeod, municipal judge (Republican)
- Frank Pallone, incumbent Representative from Long Branch since 1988 (Democratic)
- Herb Tarbous, candidate for this seat in 2006 (Regular Independent)
Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets
Results
District 7
2008 New Jersey's 7th congressional district election|
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The incumbent, Republican Representative Mike Ferguson, announced on November 19, 2007, that he would not seek re-election, citing family obligations.[11]
Republican primary
Candidates
Withdrew
- Michael P. Hsing, Bridgewater councilman (withdrew following loss at Somerset County convention; ran in general election as independent)
- Chris Venis, former deputy mayor of Hillsborough
Declined
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Results
General election
Candidates
Campaign
The district was considered to lean Republican, but the 2008 election was expected to be highly competitive, considering the closeness of the previous election.
Lance and Stender debated each other twice during the campaign. In September, they met in Scotch Plains for a debate hosted at the Jewish Community Campus of Central New Jersey. The candidates met in October in Edison for a second debate, which was televised on News 12 New Jersey.
Both major-party candidates campaigned with prominent politicians of their party in the months before the election. Lance campaigned with then U.S. President George W. Bush and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. Stender campaigned with former U.S. president Bill Clinton and U.S. House of Representatives majority leader Steny Hoyer.
District 8
This district lies in the north-east part of the state, including portions of Essex and Passaic counties.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
- Roland Straten, engineer and U.S. Navy veteran
Results
General election
Candidates
- Derek DeMarco (Libertarian)
- Bill Pascrell, incumbent Representative from Paterson since 1997 (Democratic)
- Roland Straten, engineer and U.S. Navy veteran (Republican)
Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets
Results
District 9
This district lies in the north-east part of the state, including all or portions of Bergen and Hudson and Passaic counties.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
- Vincent Micco, nominee for this seat in 2006
Results
General election
Candidates
- Michael Perrone Jr. (Independent/Progressive)
- Vincent Micco, nominee for this seat in 2006 (Republican)
- Steve Rothman, incumbent Representative from Fair Lawn since 1997 (Democratic)
Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets
Results
District 10
This district lies in the north-east part of the state, including all or portions of Essex, Hudson and Union counties. Republicans again failed to nominate a candidate to oppose Payne, but the Socialist Workers Party nominated Michael Taber, an editor.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Results
General election
Candidates
- Donald M. Payne, incumbent Representative from Newark since 1989 (Democratic)
- Michael Taber, editor (Socialist Workers)
Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets
Results
District 11
This district lies in the north-central part of the state, including all of Morris County and portions of Essex, Passaic, Somerset and Sussex counties.
Republican primary
Candidates
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
- Ellen Greenberg
- Garry Hager
- Tom Wyka, information technology manager and nominee for this seat in 2006
Results
General election
Candidates
- Rodney Frelinghuysen, incumbent Representative from Harding since 1995 (Republican)
- Chandler Tedholm (For the People)
- Tom Wyka, information technology manager and nominee for this seat in 2006 (Democratic)
Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets
Results
District 12
This district lies in the central part of the state, including portions of Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth and Somerset counties.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
- Alan Bateman, deputy mayor of Holmdel
Results
General election
Candidates
- Alan Bateman, deputy mayor of Holmdel (Republican)
- David Corsi Jr. (Common Sense Ideas)
- Rush Holt Jr., incumbent Representative from Pennington since 1999 (Democratic)
Campaign Contributions from OpenSecrets.org
Results
District 13
This district lies in the north-east part of the state, including portions of Essex, Hudson, Middlesex and Union counties.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Results
General election
Candidates
- Julio A. Fernandez (No Slogan Provided)
- Albio Sires, incumbent Representative from West New York since 2006 (Democratic)
- Joseph Turula, former Pompton Lakes councilman and lawyer (Republican)
- Louis Vernotico (Eliminate the Primary)
Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets
Results
References
- ^ 2008 Election Statistics
- ^ a b
"Wife bows out, so Rep. Andrews can run", UPI, September 4, 2008.
- ^ David W. Chen, Lautenberg to face Primary Challenge The New York Times, April 2, 2008
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab "Official List: Candidate Returns for House of Representatives for June 2008 Primary Election" (PDF). New Jersey Secretary of State. July 11, 2008. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Official List: Candidate Returns for House of Representatives for November 2008 General Election" (PDF). New Jersey Department of State. December 29, 2008. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
- ^ a b Wildstein, David (December 20, 2023). "Justin Michael Murphy planning to enter GOP U.S. Senate race in N.J." New Jersey Globe. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f "Haines bows out in Ocean County". Observer. December 7, 2007. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
- ^ philly.com
- ^ "Poll: Myers, Adler in close race for 3rd District seat (phillyBurbs.com) | Burlington County Times". Archived from the original on September 18, 2008. Retrieved September 16, 2008.
- ^ Campaign | The Hill
- ^ Chebium, Raju. "Ferguson won't seek reelection to Congress" Archived 2008-02-29 at archive.today, Home News Tribune, November 19, 2007. Accessed November 19, 2007. "Rep. Mike Ferguson, R-Warren Township, said today he won’t seek reelection next year to a fifth term… The next elections are in November 2008; Stender is again a Democratic candidate for the 7th district seat Ferguson currently occupies."
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