1961 New Jersey gubernatorial election

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1961 New Jersey gubernatorial election
Flag of New Jersey (1896-1965).png
←  1957 November 7, 1961 1965  →
Turnout73.3% of eligible voters (Decrease2.svg0.7 pp) [1]
  Richard J. Hughes 1962 (cropped).jpg James P. Mitchell 1956 (cropped).jpg
Nominee Richard J. Hughes James P. Mitchell
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote1,084,1941,049,274
Percentage50.4%48.7%
1961 New Jersey gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
County results
Hughes:      50–60%     60–70%
Mitchell:      50–60%     60–70%
Governor before election

Robert B. Meyner
Democratic

Elected Governor

Richard J. Hughes
Democratic

The 1961 New Jersey gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1961. Democratic incumbent Robert B. Meyner was term-limited and eligible to run for re-election. Democratic nominee Richard J. Hughes defeated Republican nominee James P. Mitchell with 50 percent of the vote. This was the last election until 2025 where the term-limited governor was succeeded by a member of their own party via election.

Contents

Primary elections were held on April 18, 1961. [2] Richard J. Hughes won the Democratic nomination with nominal opposition after consolidating party organization support in February. In the Republican primary, U.S. labor secretary James P. Mitchell won the nomination over state senators Walter H. Jones and Wayne Dumont in a demonstration of the strength of U.S. senator Clifford P. Case over the party.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Withdrew

Declined

Campaign

Beginning in December 1960, outgoing governor Robert B. Meyner struggled to settle on a consensus candidate with local and county party leaders for the nomination. Meyner favored U.S. senator Harrison A. Williams or William F. Hyland as his successor. Williams declined, and party leaders failed to reach an agreement for over two months. [5]

In February, former Superior Court judge Richard J. Hughes emerged as a dark horse candidate for the nomination. Hughes, a self-avowed liberal and supporter of President John F. Kennedy, had been elected to the Democratic state committee in 1937 and ran a failed campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1938. His campaign was led by Mercer County chair Thorn Lord, who was also Hughes's law partner, along with national committeeman David T. Wilentz and Hudson County party chair John V. Kenny. [7] After Frank Thompson declined for a second time, party leaders quickly consolidated around Hughes. He received the backing of leadership in Burlington, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Mercer, Passaic and Union counties, making him the front-runner for organization support in the primary. George Cable of The New York Times remarked that Hughes's ascent was "a clear victory for other top party leaders" over Meyner and was expected to lead John J. Grogan to withdraw and the Essex County party to withdraw its endorsement of Donal C. Fox. [5]

On February 13, Hughes was officially designated as the party organization's candidate for governor with the support of 20 out of 21 county chairs. Grogan withdrew the same day. [7] The designation was considered tantamount to nomination, as it ensured Hughes would have no serious opposition for the nomination at the April 18 primary election. [7]

Results

Democratic primary results [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Richard J. Hughes 222,789 84.21
Democratic Weldon R. Sheets21,2858.05
Democratic Eugene E. Demarest20,4877.74
Total votes264,561 100.00

Republican primary

Candidates

Withdrew

Declined

Senator Wayne Dumont was the first candidate to announce his campaign in late November 1960, following the presidential election. Walter H. Jones and Charles W. Sandman soon announced their campaigns. [9]

Campaign

In late 1960, Bergen County state senator Walter H. Jones was the early favorite for the nomination over senators Wayne Dumont and Charles W. Sandman, having secured the endorsements of the party organization in Bergen, Hudson, Middlesex, Passaic, and Somerset counties, which combined for almost half of the vote in typical Republican primaries. [9] Essex County, which was reportedly leaning strongly toward Jones, accounted for another 20 to 30 percent. [9] However, in a January 6, 1961 speech at Princeton, U.S. senator Clifford Case declared his intent to take leadership of the party, setting off a power struggle between Republican members of Congress, led by Case, and state politicians. [11]

Despite Jones's early lead, Secretary of Labor James P. Mitchell joined the race on January 14 with support and urging from Case, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, and the Republican members of the New Jersey delegation to the United States House of Representatives. [11] At his final cabinet meeting as president, Eisenhower produced a $100 bill and handed it to Mitchell as a symbolic campaign contribution. Mitchell's entry reshaped the race as a contest between Republican leaders in state and local government and those in Washington.

On January 16, Republican state senators met in Trenton to rebuke Mitchell's candidacy; eight of the eleven Republican senators, led by Richard R. Stout, signed a statement arguing that Mitchell "has not been active and is not familiar in the affairs of the state and has not had experience in state government and the problems facing the state." [16] Only Thomas J. Hillery and Wesley Lance refused to sign the statement; Robert C. Crane, who was undergoing treatment for fatal cancer, was absent. [16]

On February 8, Sandman withdrew from the race and endorsed Jones. All eight South Jersey county chairs switched their endorsement from Sandman to Jones, giving Jones organization support throughout the state. [13] Dumont, however, said that he would "not withdraw under any circumstances." [10]

Endorsements

Wayne Dumont
Local officials
Walter H. Jones
State legislators
Political parties
James P. Mitchell
Federal executive branch officials
U.S. senators
U.S. representatives
Political parties
Charles W. Sandman (withdrew)
Political parties
Richard R. Stout (declined)
Political parties

Results

Republican Party primary results [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican James P. Mitchell 202,188 43.68
Republican Walter H. Jones 160,55334.69
Republican Wayne Dumont 95,76120.69
Republican Louis Berns4,3760.95
Total votes462,878 100.00

General election

Candidates

Withdrew

Results

New Jersey gubernatorial election, 1961 [19]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Richard J. Hughes 1,084,194 50.37% Decrease2.svg 4.18
Republican James P. Mitchell 1,049,27448.74%Increase2.svg 4.28
Conservative Reinhardt V. Metzger 5,8200.27%Decrease2.svg 0.03
Independent Henry B. Krajewski 3,9040.18%Decrease2.svg 0.13
Independent Edward J. Lueddeke2,5410.12%N/A
Independent G. George Addonizio2,4620.11%N/A
Socialist Labor Albert Ronis2,1030.10%Decrease2.svg 0.21
Independent Daniel Petrino1,3930.07%N/A
Socialist Workers Ruth F. Shiminsky9710.05%N/A
Majority
Turnout
Democratic hold Swing

By county

CountyRichard J. Hughes
Democratic		James P. Mitchell
Republican		Various candidates
Other parties		MarginTotal votes cast
#%#%#%#%
Atlantic 27,25442.9%34,76654.7%1,5102.4%-7,512-11.8%63,530
Bergen 123,42141.4%171,18057.5%3,2361.4%-47,759-16.1%297,837
Burlington 30,75652.6%27,33146.8%3590.6%3,4255.8%58,446
Camden 74,03054.9%59,98444.5%7680.6%14,04610.4%134,782
Cape May 8,72543.9%11,00855.4%1330.6%-2,283-11.5%19,866
Cumberland 19,26654.7%15,76944.8%1690.5%3,4979.9%35,204
Essex 156,03353.1%135,34246.1%2,4180.8%20,6917.0%293,793
Gloucester 25,28951.0%24,18348.8%1090.2%1,1061.2%49,581
Hudson 136,14557.9%95,88640.8%2,9371.2%40,25917.1%234,968
Hunterdon 8,72542.7%11,55556.5%1680.8%-2,830-13.8%20,448
Mercer 61,55061.9%37,44437.6%4730.5%24,10624.3%99,467
Middlesex 98,35959.5%65,57739.7%1,2620.7%32,78219.8%165,198
Monmouth 49,22743.8%61,51354.8%1,5841.5%-12,286-11.0%112,324
Morris 29,21634.7%54,56464.7%5310.6%-25,348-30.0%84,311
Ocean 18,15441.9%24,75357.1%4161.0%-6,599-15.2%43,323
Passaic 72,17553.6%61,17645.5%1,2210.9%10,9998.1%134,572
Salem 12,23756.2%9,53243.8%110.01%2,70512.4%21,780
Somerset 22,78443.9%28,59655.1%4770.9%-5,812-11.2%51,857
Sussex 7,67439.7%11,61160.1%440.3%-3,937-20.4%19,329
Union 90,91248.0%97,20551.3%1,3130.7%-6,293-3.3%189,430
Warren 12,26254.2%10,29945.5%550.2%1,9638.7%22,616
Totals1,084,19450.37%1,049,27448.74%19,1940.91%34,9201.63%2,207,931

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

References

  1. ↑ Donald Lan, Secretary of State. "Results of the General Election Held November 8, 1977" (PDF). Retrieved August 8, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 "Results of the Primary Election Held April 18th, 1961" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. 1961. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
  3. ↑ "MAYOR IN JERSEY OUSTED BY COURT; Demarest of Hackensack Is Held Installed Illegally". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  4. ↑ "ESSEX". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Key Democrats in Jersey Back Ex-Judge for Governor's Race; Richard S. Hughes Believed to Be in Lead -- Grogan Expected to Withdraw". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  6. ↑ "Fifty years ago, a great U.S. Senate race in New Jersey". Observer. May 1, 2007. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "DEMOCRATS NAME HUGHES IN JERSEY; Nomination for Governor Is Virtually Assured by Vote of 20 County Leaders DEMOCRATS NAME HUGHES IN JERSEY". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  8. ↑ "JERSEY G.O.P. ACTS TO HALT FEUDING; County, State and National Figures to Meet Tuesday on Governorship Fight". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "JONES GIVEN EDGE IN RACE IN JERSEY; Hudson Joins 3 Counties in Backing Him for G.O.P. Governor Nomination". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 "Mitchell to Enter Jersey Race For Governorship Next Week". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  11. 1 2 3 "Mitchell Says He Will Run For Jersey Governorship; Mitchell Announces Jersey Candidacy For Governorship". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  12. ↑ "MEYNER IS URGING A RACE BY HYLAND; Talks With State Leaders on Governorship During Trip to the Inauguration". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  13. 1 2 "JONES GETS SUPPORT; 7 Jersey G.O.P. Chiefs Back Him After Sandman Quits". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  14. ↑ Edge, Wally (July 24, 2006). "The legacy of Robert Crane". PolitickerNJ.com. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
  15. ↑ "STOUT'S CANDIDACY IS URGED IN JERSEY". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  16. 1 2 "8 of 11 Jersey G.O.P. Senators Opposing Mitchell for Governor; JERSEY SENATORS OPPOSE MITCHELL". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  17. ↑ "Elections to Be Held in 19 New Jersey Municipalities Tuesday". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  18. ↑ "JERSEY DISSIDENT IN GOVERNOR RACE; Brother of Mayor Witkowski to Run as Independent in General Election". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  19. ↑ "Votes Cast for the Office of Governor of the State of New Jersey" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. 1961. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
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