1980 United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey Last updated August 03, 2025
1980 United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey Majority party Minority party Party Democratic Republican Last election 10 5 Seats won 8 7 Seat change 2 2Popular vote 1,316,100 1,368,981 Percentage 48.0% 49.9%
The 1980 United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey were held on November 4, 1980, to determine who would represent the people of New Jersey in the United States House of Representatives . This election coincided with national elections for President , U.S. House and U.S. Senate . New Jersey had fourteen seats in the House, apportioned according to the 1980 United States census . Representatives are elected for two-year terms.
Overview 1980 United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey [ 1] Party Votes Percentage Candidates Seats +/– Democratic 1,316,100 48.01% 15 8 2 Republican 1,368,981 49.94% 15 7 2 Libertarian 27,572 1.01% 15 0 Citizens 3,025 0.11% 2 0 Socialist Labor 2,923 0.11% 4 0 Socialist Workers 1,869 0.07% 2 0 Constitution 666 0.02% 1 0 Socialist 643 0.02% 1 0 Independents 47,188 1.72% 13 0 Totals 2,741,395 100.00% 54 15
District 1 1980 New Jersey's 1st congressional district election
Incumbent Democrat James Florio won. The district included Gloucester County and parts of Camden County .
General election Candidates Scott L. Sibert (Republican) James Florio , incumbent Representative since 1975 (Republican) Julius Levin , perennial candidate (Socialist Labor) Thomas S. Watson Jr. (Independent) Ronald K. Wishart (Libertarian) District 3 1980 New Jersey's 3rd congressional district election
Incumbent Democrat James J. Howard won.
This district included parts of Monmouth and Ocean counties.
General election Candidates Lawrence D. Erickson (Socialist) James J. Howard , incumbent Representative since 1965 (Democratic) Marie Sheehan Muhler , assemblywoman from Marlboro (Republican) Tom Palven (Libertarian) L. James Wilson (J.E.B. Party Inc.) District 4 1980 New Jersey's 4th congressional district election
Incumbent Republican Chris Smith won. This district, in Central Jersey , consisted of parts of Burlington , Mercer , Middlesex , and Monmouth counties.
Republican primary Candidates Chris Smith , chair of the New Jersey Right to Life Committee and nominee for this district in 1978 John D. Scalamonti, former Catholic priest and convert to Orthodox Judaism [ 5] General election Candidates Jack Moyers (Libertarian) Paul B. Rizzo (Independent) Chris Smith , chair of the New Jersey Right to Life Committee and nominee for this district in 1978 (Republican) Frank Thompson , incumbent Representative since 1955 (Democratic) Campaign After Thompson was indicted on charges of bribery and conspiracy in connection with the Abscam FBI sting operation , Republicans considered replacing Smith with a more established candidate. Two such potential candidates, 1978 U.S. Senate nominee Jeff Bell and Hamilton Township mayor Jack Rafferty , declined. [ 6]
District 5 1980 New Jersey's 5th congressional district election
Incumbent Millicent Fenwick won. This district included Somerset County and parts of Essex , Mercer , Middlesex , and Morris counties.
General election Campaign In the general election, Fenwick and Pillion agreed to a spending cap of $22,500. Ultimately, Pillion was only able to raise about $7,200. [ 7]
Fenwick's campaign was managed by future state senator Kip Bateman . [ 7]
District 6 1980 New Jersey's 6th congressional district election
Incumbent Republican Edwin B. Forsythe won.
This district included parts of Burlington , Camden , and Ocean counties.
Democratic primary Candidates Alene S. Ammond , former state senator from Cherry Hill Bruce MacNaul, Burlington County Surrogate [ 8] Lewis M. Weinstein, former Cherry Hill township manager [ 8] General election Candidates Bernardo S. Doganiero, perennial candidate (Socialist Labor) Virginia A. Flynn (Libertarian) Edwin B. Forsythe , incumbent Representative from Moorestown since 1970 (Republican) John Kinnevy III (Citizens) Donald L. Smith (Constitution) Lewis M. Weinstein (Democratic) District 7 1980 New Jersey's 7th congressional district election
Incumbent Andrew Maguire ran for a fourth term in office but was defeated by Marge Roukema . This district included western parts of Bergen County .
General election Candidates Andrew Maguire , incumbent Representative since 1975 (Democratic) Patrick Randazzo (Pro-Life Independent) Marge Roukema , former member of the Ridgewood Board of Education and nominee for this district in 1978 (Republican) Robert Shapiro (Libertarian) Martin E. Wendelken (Independent) District 8 1980 New Jersey's 8th congressional district election
Incumbent Robert Roe won. This district included parts of Bergen and Passaic counties.
General election Candidates William R. Cleveland (Republican) Michael Horowitz (Libertarian) Donald Rabel (Socialist Labor) Robert A. Roe , incumbent Representative from Wayne since 1969 (Democratic) District 9 1980 New Jersey's 9th congressional district election
Incumbent Democrat Bob Torricelli won. This district consisted of parts of Bergen and Hudson counties.
As of 2025, this is the most recent election in which a Republican was elected to represent any portion of Hudson County .
District 10 1980 New Jersey's 10th congressional district election
Incumbent Democrat Peter W. Rodino won. The district included parts of Essex and Hudson counties.
General election Candidates Christine Hildebrand (Socialist Workers) Everett J. Jennings (Republican) Christine Keno (Human Rights Ratification) Ronald Penque (Libertarian) Peter W. Rodino , incumbent Representative since 1949 (Democratic) Frankie Lee Scott (Youth Against Draft) District 11 1980 New Jersey's 11th congressional district election
Incumbent Democrat Joseph Minish won. This district consisted of parts of Bergen , Essex , Passaic , and Union counties.
General election Candidates Jon Britton (Socialist Workers) Robert A. Davis (Republican) Joseph Minish , incumbent Representative from West Orange since 1963 (Democratic) Richard S. Roth (Libertarian) Robert G. Trugman (The Independent Alternative) District 12 1980 New Jersey's 12th congressional district election
Incumbent Matt Rinaldo won. This district included parts of Union County .
Democratic primary Candidates Charles A. Leary Rose Zeidwerg Monyek General election Candidates David-Leif Jensen (Independent for Congress) Rose Zeidwerg Monyek (Democratic) Matt Rinaldo , incumbent Representative from Union since 1973 (Republican) William Vandersteel (Libertarian) District 13 1980 New Jersey's 13th congressional district election
Incumbent Representative Jim Courter won the election.
This sprawling district included Hunterdon , Sussex , and Warren counties and parts of Mercer and Morris counties.
Democratic primary Candidates Edward J. Baker Carl A. Mottey Ray Rollinson Roger A. Singerling Dave Stickle General election Candidates Jim Courter , incumbent Representative from Hackettstown since 1979 (Republican) John S. Schafer (Libertarian) Dave Stickle (Democratic) District 14 1980 New Jersey's 14th congressional district election
Incumbent Democrat Frank J. Guarini won. This district included parts of Hudson County .
General election Candidates Kenneth Famularo (Action Talks) Frank J. Guarini , incumbent Representative since 1979 (Democratic) Jonathan Steele (LIbertarian) Dennis Teti (Republican) District 15 1980 New Jersey's 15th congressional district election
Incumbent Democrat Edward Patten did not run for re-election to a tenth term in office. Bernard J. Dwyer won the open seat. This district included parts of Middlesex and Union counties.
Republican primary Candidates William J. O'Sullivan Jr., Middlesex County Republican Party treasurer [ 8] Charles W. Wiley, freelance journalist and nominee for this district in 1978 [ 8] General election Candidates Bernard J. Dwyer , state senator and former mayor of Edison (Democratic) Charles M. Hart (Libertarian) Ira W. Mintz (People's Independent Coalition) William J. O'Sullivan Jr. (Republican) References 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Henshaw, Edmund L. (April 15, 1981). "STATISTICS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL AND CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 4, 1980" (PDF) . Office of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives . p. 39. Retrieved July 28, 2025 . 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 "Members of the House of Representatives" (PDF) . New Jersey Department of State . Retrieved July 28, 2025 . 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 "Members of the House of Representatives" (PDF) . New Jersey Department of State. Retrieved July 28, 2025 . 1 2 3 Wildstein, David (October 31, 2019). "Bill Hughes, former New Jersey congressman who fought to protect coastline, dies at 87" . New Jersey Globe . Retrieved July 29, 2025 . ↑ NJJN, Special to. "Shabbat candles reignited former priest's lost faith" . njjewishnews.timesofisrael.com . Retrieved July 29, 2025 . 1 2 3 Early on, Smith was dismissed as a fluke , New York Observer (December 23, 2019). 1 2 3 Wildstein, David (May 18, 2024). "The time a House incumbent offered to spend no more than the challenger" . New Jersey Globe . Retrieved July 29, 2025 . 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "Lively Races Mark Approach of Primaries in Jersey; Effect of Shifts Feared Helstoski Seeks Return (Published 1980)" . May 31, 1980. Retrieved July 29, 2025 . ↑ " 'Too big for its bridges' " . The Jewish Standard . January 24, 2014. Retrieved July 29, 2025 .
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