2013 United States Senate special election in New Jersey

The 2013 United States Senate special election in New Jersey was held on October 16, 2013, to fill the New Jersey United States Senate Class 2 seat for the remainder of the term ending January 3, 2015. The vacancy resulted from the death of 5-term Democratic senator Frank Lautenberg on June 3, 2013.^[2] On June 4, 2013, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie announced that a primary election to fill the vacancy would take place on August 13, 2013, and that a special election would follow on October 16, 2013.^[3] Christie appointed Republican New Jersey Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa to the seat as a placeholder; Chiesa announced at the time of his appointment that he would not be a candidate in the special election.^[4]

2013 United States Senate special election in New Jersey

← 2008 October 16, 2013 2014 →
Turnout	24.5%[1]
Nominee Cory Booker Steve Lonegan Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 740,742 593,684 Percentage 54.92% 44.02%
County results Congressional district results Municipality results Booker:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Lonegan:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Tie:      40–50%
U.S. senator before election Jeffrey Chiesa[a] Republican Elected U.S. Senator Cory Booker Democratic

The primary elections were won by Republican former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan and Democratic Newark Mayor Cory Booker. Booker defeated Lonegan on October 16, 2013, and became the first African-American elected to statewide office in New Jersey. 24.5% of registered voters cast ballots, making this the lowest voter turnout of any statewide election.^[1][5]

Background

Democrats and Republicans interested in running in the special primary were given six days, until June 10, to collect 1,000 signatures in order to appear on the special primary ballots.^[6] Christie was criticized for spending millions of dollars to hold a separate election for Senate, despite the gubernatorial election already being scheduled for November.^{[citation needed]} It was thought that Christie took this action to benefit himself politically, believing that likely Democratic nominee Cory Booker's presence on the ballot would inspire higher turnout from minority voters who would also vote for Christie's Democratic gubernatorial opponent, Barbara Buono.^{[citation needed]}

On June 4, 2013, Christie appointed Republican Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa to fill the Senate vacancy, making him the first (federal) Republican Senator from the state since Nicholas F. Brady in 1982, who, ironically got succeeded by Lautenberg;^[7] Chiesa announced that he would not run in the special election.^[8]

On June 13, 2013, the Appellate Division of the New Jersey Superior Court unanimously rejected the Democrats' challenge, which was brought by Somerset County Democratic chairwoman Marguerite M. Schaffer, to force Christie to change the special election date in October to the general election on November 5. They ruled "the Legislature has delegated broad authority to the State's governor" to set the election date.^[9] On June 20, 2013, the New Jersey Supreme Court declined to hear a follow-up challenge to the special election date.^[10]

New Jersey Democratic state senator Shirley Turner of Lawrenceville introduced legislation to move the general election on November 5 for all statewide offices, including governor, to the same date, October 16, as the U.S. Senate special election. This legislation was introduced in order to avoid spending an additional $12 million for a separate U.S. Senate election in October in addition to the general statewide election in November.^[11] A bill, A4237, passed both legislative houses on June 27, 2013. Another bill, A4249, allowing eligible voters who cast ballots on October 16 for senator to also vote early for the November general election, finally passed both legislative houses on June 27. Both bills were sent to Governor Christie for approval or veto with little expectation that either would be signed by Christie into law.^[12][13] The governor vetoed both bills on September 9, 2013.^[14]

The Christie administration looked into contingency plan options for additional state workers, transportation resources, voting machines and associated hardware, and skilled voting machine technicians in order to avoid any potential conflicts due to the short time span of 20 days between the special election and the general election.^[15] Use of any of these options would increase the cost of $12 million for the October election, which would be in addition to $12 million for the August primary, that were both estimated by the New Jersey Office of Legislative Services. Contingency plans would be needed due to potential scheduling and logistical conflicts in the use of the same voting machines for both elections. New Jersey state law requires voting machines to be locked down for 15 days after an election, in case a defeated candidate seeks a recount. Voting machines would also need to be set up several days in advance of the general election. The state has made arrangements to reimburse by December 31, 2013, all necessary expenses after an audit of submitted election costs by each of the County Boards of Elections.^[16][17]

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

• Alieta Eck, former president of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons,^[18] founder of the Zarephath Health Center^[19] and health care reform advocate^[20][21][22]
• Steve Lonegan, former mayor of Bogota, former state director of Americans for Prosperity and candidate for governor in 2005 and 2009^[23]

Declined

• Jennifer Beck, state senator^[24]
• Jon Bramnick, Minority Leader of the New Jersey State Assembly^[25]
• Jeffrey Chiesa, incumbent U.S. senator^[7]
• Michael J. Doherty, state senator^[24]
• Thomas Kean Jr., Minority Leader of the New Jersey Senate and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2006^[26]
• Joe Kyrillos, state senator and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2012^[27]
• Leonard Lance, U.S. Representative^[28]
• Kevin J. O'Toole, state senator^[24]
• Geraldo Rivera, talk show host^[29]

Endorsements

Alieta Eck

• Brian D. Levine, Mayor of Franklin Township^[30]
• Joseph Rudy Rullo, candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2012^[31]

Steve Lonegan

• Thomas Booth, Camden County Republican Organization Chairman^[32]
• Michael Patrick Carroll, state assemblyman^[33]
• Jeff Chiesa, incumbent U.S. senator^[32]
• Chris Christie, Governor of New Jersey^[32]
• John DiMaio, state assemblyman^[32]
• Michael J. Doherty, state senator^[24]
• Michael Donohue, Cape May County Republican Organization Chairman^[32]
• Rodney Frelinghuysen, U.S. Representative (NJ-11)^[32]
• Scott Garrett, U.S. Representative (NJ-05)^[32]
• Henry Kuhl, Hunterdon County Republican Organization Chairman^[34]
• Leonard Lance, U.S. Representative (NJ-07)^[35]
• Frank LoBiondo, U.S. Representative (NJ-02)^[32]
• Phil Morin, Union County Republican Organization Chairman^[35]
• Ron Paul, former U.S Representative and candidate for President in 2008 and 2012^[35]
• Jon Runyan, U.S. Representative (NJ-3)^[32]
• John Sette, Morris County Republican Organization Chairman^[35]
• Chris Smith, U.S. Representative (NJ-04)^[32]
• Bob Yudin, Bergen County Republican Organization Chairman^[32]
• Eagle Forum^[35]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Alieta Eck	Steve Lonegan	Other	Undecided
Kean University[36]	June 18, 2013	321	±?%	15%	45%	12%	29%
Quinnipiac[37]	July 2–7, 2013	330	±5.4%	5%	62%	1%	32%
Quinnipiac[38]	August 1–5, 2013	257	±6.1%	10%	74%	3%	13%

Results by county:

  Lonegan—>90%

  Lonegan—80–90%

  Lonegan—70–80%

  Lonegan—60–70%

Results

Republican primary results^[39]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Steve Lonegan	103,280	80.09%
	Republican	Alieta Eck	25,669	19.91%
Total votes			128,958	100.00%

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

• Cory Booker, Mayor of Newark^[40]
• Rush Holt Jr., U.S. Representative^[41]
• Sheila Oliver, Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly^[42][43]
• Frank Pallone, U.S. Representative^[44]

Declined

• Rob Andrews, U.S. Representative^[45]
• Beth Mason, Hoboken City Councilwoman^[46]
• Stephen M. Sweeney, president of the New Jersey Senate^[47]

Endorsements

Cory Booker

Statewide endorsements

• Bill Bradley, former U.S. senator (NJ)^[40]
• Joseph DiVincenzo, Essex County Executive^[48]
• Beth Mason, Hoboken City Councilwoman^[46]
• George Norcross, businessman and Democratic fundraiser^[49]
• Jim Whelan, State Senator^[50]

National endorsements

• Mo Cowan, former U.S. senator (MA)^[51]
• Martin O'Malley, Governor of Maryland^[52]
• Ivanka Trump, Businesswoman and daughter of Donald Trump^[53]
• Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder of Facebook^[54]
• The New York Times^[55]
• The Philadelphia Inquirer^[56]

Rush D. Holt, Jr.

• Mercer County Democratic Committee^[57]
• Sussex County Democrats straw poll^[58]

Frank Pallone

• Vin Gopal, Chairman of the Monmouth County Democratic Committee^[59]

Debates

• Complete video of debate, August 5, 2013 - C-SPAN

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Cory Booker	Rush D. Holt Jr.	Sheila Oliver	Frank Pallone	Other	Undecided
Rutgers-Eagleton[60]	June 3–9, 2013	364	±5.1%	55%	8%	—	9%	—	28%
Quinnipiac[61]	June 7–9, 2013	306	±5.6%	53%	10%	—	9%	1%	27%
Monmouth[62]	June 10–11, 2013	205	±6.9%	63%	10%	6%	8%	—	13%
Rasmussen[63]	June 12–13, 2013	416	±5%	54%	11%	5%	8%	3%	18%
Kean University[36]	June 18, 2013	366	±?%	49%	9%	9%	6%	5%	22%
Quinnipiac[37]	July 2–7, 2013	400	±4.9%	52%	8%	3%	10%	1%	27%
Monmouth[64]	July 11–14, 2013	403	±4.9%	49%	8%	3%	12%	—	28%
Quinnipiac[38]	August 1–5, 2013	388	±5%	54%	15%	5%	17%	1%	8%

Results by county:

  Booker—70–80%

  Booker—60–70%

  Booker—50–60%

  Booker—40–50%

  Booker—30–40%

  Pallone—40–50%

  Holt—50–60%

Results

Democratic primary results^[39]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Cory Booker	216,936	59.17%
	Democratic	Frank Pallone	72,584	19.80%
	Democratic	Rush Holt Jr.	61,463	16.76%
	Democratic	Sheila Oliver	15,656	4.27%
Total votes			366,639	100.00%

Special election

Booker enjoyed advantages over Lonegan in fundraising and name recognition.^[65] However, he was scrutinized regarding "his personal finances and the terms of his departure from law firm Trenk DiPasquale; the viability of his video startup, Waywire, and the investors behind it; and his behavior on Twitter, including messages to an Oregon stripper". Booker "also drew criticism from the left over his progressive credentials." Booker painted Lonegan as a "tea-party extremist", while Lonegan questioned Booker's performance as Mayor of Newark.^[66]

Candidates

Major party candidates

• Cory Booker (Democratic), Mayor of Newark^[67]
• Steve Lonegan (Republican), former mayor of Bogota, former state director of Americans for Prosperity and candidate for governor in 2005 and 2009^[68]

Other candidates

• Robert Depasquale, Independent^[69]
• Eugene M. LaVergne, D-R Party^[69]
• Stuart Meissner, Alimony Reform Now^[69]
• Pablo Olivera, Unity is Strength^[69]
• Antonio N. Sabas, Independent^[69]
• Edward C. Stackhouse Jr., Ed the Barber^[69]

Debates

• Complete video of debate, October 9, 2013 - C-SPAN

Fundraising

Candidate (party)	Receipts	Disbursements	Cash on hand	Debt
Cory Booker (D)	$2,108,248	$2,582,837	$4,533,079	$0
Steve Lonegan (R)	$129,766	$171,538	$192,586	$101,822
Source: Federal Election Commission[70][71] Reports through July 24, 2013

Top contributors

Cory Booker	Contribution	Steve Lonegan	Contribution
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan	$34,800	Lance for Congress	$2,000
Time Warner	$33,000
Slate Path Capital	$23,400
Loews Corporation	$20,000
Cole, Schotz, Meisel, Forman & Leonard, PA	$19,050
Lazard	$18,500
Monness, Crespi, Hardt & Co Inc.	$15,600
Walt Disney Company	$15,200
Falcon Edge Capital	$15,000
Harvest Partners	$15,000
Source: OpenSecrets[72]

Top industries

Cory Booker	Contribution	Steve Lonegan	Contribution
Financial Institutions	$314,500	Candidate Committees	$5,000
Lawyers/Law Firms	$156,725	Republican/Conservative	$500
Entertainment Industry	$131,000	Misc Issues	$250
Real Estate	$115,390	Pro-Life Organizations	$250
Business Services	$63,050
Misc Finance	$62,850
Retired	$54,700
Non-Profit Organizations	$48,100
Manufacturing & Distributing	$42,600
Universities	$34,500
Source: OpenSecrets[73]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Steve Lonegan (R)	Cory Booker (D)	Other	Undecided
Quinnipiac[61]	June 7–9, 2013	858	±3.4%	27%	54%	—	18%
Monmouth[62]	June 10–11, 2013	560	±4.2%	37%	53%	—	10%
Rasmussen[63]	June 10–11, 2013	1,000	±3%	33%	50%	—	17%
Quinnipiac[37]	July 2–7, 2013	1,068	±3%	30%	53%	1%	16%
Quinnipiac[38]	August 1–5, 2013	2,042	±2.2%	29%	54%	1%	16%
Monmouth[74]	August 15–18, 2013	696	±3.7%	38%	54%	2%	5%
Fairleigh Dickinson University[75]	August 21–27, 2013	700	±3.7%	22%	50%	4%	23%
Rutgers-Eagleton[76]	September 3–9, 2013	462	±4.5%	29%	64%	1%	6%
Pulse Opinion Research[77]	September 19, 2013	1,000	±?	33%	52%	4%	10%
Stockton Polling Institute[78]	September 15–21, 2013	812	±3.4%	32.3%	58.4%	—	9.1%
Quinnipiac[79]	September 19–22, 2013	948	±3.2%	41%	53%	1%	6%
Monmouth[80]	September 26–29, 2013	571	±4.1%	40%	53%	3%	4%
Fairleigh Dickinson University[81]	September 30 – October 5, 2013	702	±3.7%	29%	45%	3%	23%
Rasmussen[63]	October 7, 2013	1,000	±3%	41%	53%	1%	5%
Quinnipiac[82]	October 5–7, 2013	899	±3.3%	41%	53%	1%	5%
Stockton Polling Institute[83]	October 3–8, 2013	729	±3.6%	39%	50%	—	11%
Monmouth[84]	October 10–12, 2013	1,393	±2.6%	42%	52%	2%	4%
Rutgers-Eagleton[85]	October 7–13, 2013	513	±4.3%	36%	58%	3%	3%
Harper Polling[86]	October 13–14, 2013	778	±3.5%	41%	52%	2%	5%
Quinnipiac[87]	October 10–14, 2013	1,696	±2.4%	40%	54%	—	5%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Steve Lonegan (R)	Rush D. Holt Jr. (D)	Other	Undecided
Quinnipiac[61]	June 7–9, 2013	858	±3.4%	31%	36%	1%	32%
Monmouth[62]	June 10–11, 2013	560	±4.2%	41%	44%	—	15%
Quinnipiac[37]	July 2–7, 2013	1,068	±3%	36%	37%	3%	24%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Steve Lonegan (R)	Sheila Oliver (D)	Other	Undecided
Monmouth[62]	June 10–11, 2013	560	±4.2%	42%	44%	—	14%
Quinnipiac[37]	July 2–7, 2013	1,068	±3%	37%	35%	3%	16%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Steve Lonegan (R)	Frank Pallone (D)	Other	Undecided
Quinnipiac[61]	June 7–9, 2013	858	±3.4%	29%	39%	2%	31%
Monmouth[62]	June 10–11, 2013	560	±4.2%	40%	45%	—	14%
Quinnipiac[37]	July 2–7, 2013	1,068	±3%	34%	38%	3%	25%

Hypothetical polling

With Holt Jr.

With Oliver

With Pallone

Results

Results of the November election by municipality

Booker defeated Lonegan on October 16, 2013.^[88] Booker resigned as Mayor of Newark on October 30, 2013^[89] and was sworn in on October 31, 2013, as the junior U.S. senator from New Jersey.^[90]

United States Senate special election in New Jersey, 2013^[91]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Cory Booker	740,742	54.92%	−1.11%
	Republican	Steve Lonegan	593,684	44.02%	+2.07%
	Independent	Edward C. Stackhouse Jr.	5,138	0.38%	N/A
	Independent	Robert Depasquale	3,137	0.23%	N/A
	Independent	Stuart Meissner	2,051	0.15%	N/A
	Independent	Pablo Olivera	1,530	0.11%	N/A
	Independent	Antonio Nico Sabas	1,336	0.10%	N/A
	Independent	Eugene M. LaVergne	1,041	0.08%	N/A
Total votes			1,348,659	100.00%	N/A
	Democratic gain from Republican

By county

By county

County Booker % Booker votes Lonegan % Lonegan votes Other % Other votes Atlantic 50.4% 19,469 48.3% 18,637 1.3% 506 Bergen 56.8% 82,526 42.4% 61,622 0.8% 1,266 Burlington 54.7% 42,543 44.0% 34,224 1.3% 984 Camden 65.0% 47,474 33.9% 24,758 1.1% 860 Cape May 39.9% 7,080 58.8% 10,432 1.3% 244 Cumberland 51.1% 8,069 47.5% 7,496 1.4% 217 Essex 77.8% 92,384 21.0% 24,929 1.2% 1,460 Gloucester 49.7% 21,240 48.9% 20,871 1.4% 613 Hudson 77.7% 47,683 20.9% 12,830 1.4% 871 Hunterdon 37.5% 10,781 61.3% 17,593 1.2% 345 Mercer 65.8% 38,934 31.4% 18,576 2.8% 1,682 Middlesex 57.7% 61,362 41.1% 43,644 1.2% 1,284 Monmouth 45.0% 49,340 53.9% 59,059 1.1% 1,231 Morris 42.6% 41,317 56.4% 54,665 1.0% 889 Ocean 34.6% 36,665 64.4% 68,166 1.0% 1,050 Passaic 59.0% 37,378 39.9% 25,263 1.1% 744 Salem 40.5% 3,903 58.0% 5,598 1.5% 743 Somerset 48.9% 28,539 50.2% 29,304 0.9% 578 Sussex 33.8% 9,252 64.9% 17,796 2.3% 362 Union 63.7% 48,991 35.3% 27,152 1.0% 785 Warren 34.0% 5,812 64.8% 11,069 1.2% 211 Total 54.92% 740,742 44.02% 593,684 1.06% 16,327 Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Salem (largest municipality: Pennsville Township) [92]

By congressional district

Booker won 6 of 12 congressional districts.^[93]

District	Booker	Lonegan	Representative
1st	61.54%	37.33%	Rob Andrews
2nd	45.7%	53.1%	Frank LoBiondo
3rd	46.25%	52.73%	Jon Runyan
4th	41.35%	57.31%	Chris Smith
5th	49.0%	50.25%	Scott Garrett
6th	55.97%	42.93%	Frank Pallone Jr.
7th	43.81%	55.31%	Leonard Lance
8th	78.1%	20.46%	Albio Sires
9th	65.83%	33.1%	Bill Pascrell
10th	86.23%	12.63%	Donald Payne Jr.
11th	46.69%	52.49%	Rodney Frelinghuysen
12th	64.8%	34.15%	Rush Holt Jr.

See also

• New Jersey portal

• 2013 United States Senate special election in Massachusetts
• 2014 United States Senate election in New Jersey

Notes

1. In June 2013, Chiesa was appointed by Governor Chris Christie to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Senator Frank Lautenberg.