New Jersey plumped for Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election. It also voted overwhelmingly for Senator Frank Lautenberg. However, the Republicans shouldn’t be disheartened: only one House seat was lost, in a potential three seat loss.
Obama easily won the traditionally blue New Jersey by 15%. Dick Zimmer also lost to incumbent Frank Lautenberg in the Senate race, with lack of name recognition contributing to the 12% loss.
Rob Andrews (D-01), Frank LoBiondo (R-02), Christopher Smith (R-04), Frank Pallone (D-06), William Pascrell (D-08), Steve Rothman (D-09), Donald Payne (D-10), Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-11), Rush Holt (D-12), and Albio Sires (D-13) were all easily re-elected. All except LoBiondo had over 60% (LoBiondo had 59%), and Andrews, Pascrell, and Sires got over 70%.
A closer race was Scott Garrett (R-05)’s tough race against Rabbi Dennis Shulman. Right before the election, there had been some nasty fliers going back and forth between the candidates, with mud being slung everywhere. But Garrett won in the Republican-favored district and picked up a nice 14% margin. The conservatarian isn’t going anywhere, unless, as some would like him to, he runs for governor in 2009.
Leonard Lance (R-07) also survived a close race against Linda Stender. The moderate Republican won three of the four counties in his district despite a huge cash deficit.
Finally, John Adler became the only candidate to successfully defeat the incumbent party, beating Chris Myers in the fight to replace Jim Saxton (R-03). Between an anti-Bush sentiment, a non-incumbent Republican, and a messed up Burlington County GOP, Adler was the slight favorite.
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