1981 New Jersey Senate election Last updated December 17, 2025
1981 New Jersey Senate elections Results by district Democratic hold Democratic gain Republican hold Republican gain
The 1981 New Jersey Senate elections were held on November 3. The New Jersey legislature reapportioned its state legislative districts in advance of the 1981 election. The new districts resulted in many senators running for re-election in newly re-numbered districts. The election coincided with a tightly contested gubernatorial election between Thomas Kean and James Florio . Republicans gained five seats, narrowing the Democratic majority to 22–18. Democrats flipped districts 10, 14, and 15, while Republicans flipped districts 9, 12, 13, 21, 26, 34, 38, and 39.
A Federal Bureau of Investigation investigation resulted in the retirements of Senators Joseph A. Maressa and Angelo Errichetti , both of whom accepted bribes from the FBI under the guise of Arab oil sheikhs. Errichetti was convicted; Maressa was not prosecuted but opted to retire. [ 1]
Incumbents not running for re-election Republican New Jersey Legislature before (left) and after (right) the 1981 redistricting
Summary of results by State Senate district ↑ The seat was left vacant by the expulsion of Angelo Errichetti following his conviction for federal bribery charges. ↑ Redistricted to 10th district. ↑ Redistricted to 11th district. ↑ Redistricted to 12th district. ↑ Redistrict to 13th district. ↑ Redistricted to 15th district. ↑ Redistricted to 23rd district. ↑ Redistricted to 24th district. ↑ The seat had been vacant since Bernard J. Dwyer resigned to take his seat in the United States House of Representatives. ↑ Redistricted to 21st district. ↑ Redistricted to 20th district. ↑ Redistricted to 25th district. ↑ Redistricted to 26th district. ↑ Redistricted to 30th district. ↑ Redistricted to 32nd district. ↑ Redistricted to 36th district. ↑ This seat had been vacant since the resignation of Anthony Scardino to join the Hackensack Meadowlands Development Commission . Close races Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:
District 30, 1.7% District 33, 3.2% District 2, 3.4% District 21, 3.8% District 18, 4.2% District 38, 4.5% District 20, 4.6% District 34, 5.4% District 1, 7.6% District 1 The first district consisted of all of Cape May County and the Cumberland municipalities of Vineland, Millville, Bridgeton, Upper Deerfield, Deerfield, and Maurice River. Prior to redistricting, it had contained all of Cumberland County.
Incumbent Senator James Cafiero retired.
District 2 The second district consisted of Atlantic County except for the municipalities of Folsom , Buena , and Buena Vista , which were removed in redistricting. Redistricting also removed Bass River and Washington in Burlington County and Tuckerton and Little Egg Harbor in Ocean County.
Democratic primary Candidates Richard "Reds" Lavin, labor organizer and state government liaison for the Atlantic City Department of Parks and Public Property (The Alternative) [ 5] Steven Perskie, incumbent Senator since 1978 (Endorsed By Atlantic County Democratic Convention) District 3 Democratic primary Candidates Raymond Zane , incumbent Senator (Regular Democratic Organization) Republican primary Candidates D. Paul McMahon Jr., owner of a Woodbury electrical contracting firm [ 6] General election Candidates D. Paul McMahon Jr., owner of a Woodbury electrical contracting firm (Republican) [ 6] Raymond Zane , incumbent Senator (Democratic) District 4 Democratic primary Candidates This primary was a rematch of the 1979 Assembly election, in which Dalton and running mate Dennis L. Riley , who ran with the support of Congressman Jim Florio , unseated Gewertz and Francis J. Gorman , who had the support of Camden mayor and State Senator Angelo Errichetti . [ 7] Each candidate had the support of their respective county party; Dalton in Camden and Gewertz in Gloucester. [ 8]
Republican primary Candidates Connie B. Roggio, Gloucester Township councilwoman (Regular Republican Organization) [ 8] Frank B. Smith (Organization of Regular Republicans) District 5 Democratic primary Candidates Unlike the neighboring fourth district, both Assemblymen Rand and Schuck were considered allies of Errichetti and shared a legislative office. Their friendly relations were maintained throughout a "kid-gloves" campaign, despite the close margin. [ 8]
Ultimately, Florio struck an alliance with Rand which propelled him over the top as Florio ran up large numbers in the gubernatorial race. [ 8]
Republican primary Candidates John H. Lyons Jr. (Regular Republican Organization of Camden County) District 6 Democratic primary Candidates James Greenberg (Regular Democratic Organization) General election Candidates James Greenberg (Democratic) Lee Laskin , incumbent Senator since 1978 (Republican) District 7 Republican primary Candidates Michael J. Conda (Regular Republican Organization) District 8 Democratic primary Candidates Raymond J. Storck (Regular Democratic Organization) District 9 Democratic primary Candidates Wesley K. Bell, former mayor of Stafford Township and candidate for U.S. Senate in 1978 (Official Regular Democrat Organization) District 10 All of the new tenth district had previously been contained within the boundaries of the ninth district in Ocean County. It consisted of Lakewood , Brick , and Toms River , and the shore towns of Lavallette , Mantoloking , Bay Head , Seaside Park , Seaside Heights , Ocean Gate , Point Pleasant Beach , and Point Pleasant .
District 11 Democratic primary Candidates George Callas (Regular Democratic Organization of Monmouth County) General election Candidates George Callas (Democratic) Stan Johnson (Citizens) Brian T. Kennedy , incumbent Senator since 1978 (Republican) District 12 Democratic primary Candidates Roger J. Kane (Regular Democratic Organization of Monmouth County) District 13 Democratic primary Candidates Eugene J. Bedell , incumbent Senator since 1974 (Regular Democratic Organization of Monmouth County) District 15 Incumbent Senator Joseph Merlino, who had been redistricted from the 13th district, opted to run for Governor of New Jersey.
District 16 Republican primary Candidates John H. Ewing , incumbent Senator since 1978 (Somerset County Republican Organization) Democratic primary Candidates John F. Guerrera (Regular Democratic Organization) General election Candidates John H. Ewing , incumbent Senator since 1978 (Republican) John F. Guerrera (Regular Democratic Organization) District 17 Republican primary Candidates Donald J. Douglas (Middlesex County Republican Organization, Inc.) John Giammarco (Middlesex County Regular Republican Organization) District 18 Republican primary Candidates Joseph M. Cooperstein (Middlesex County Republican Organization, Inc.) Peter Garibaldi , former Assemblyman from Monroe Township (Middlesex County Regular Republican Organization) District 19 Republican primary Candidates Edmund S. Kaboski (Middlesex County Republican Organization, Inc.) General election Candidates Edmund S. Kaboski (Republican) Laurence S. Weiss , incumbent Senator since 1978 (Democratic) District 20 Democratic primary Candidates John T. Gregorio , incumbent Senator since 1978 and mayor of Linden (Regular Democratic Organization of Union County) Republican primary Candidates John Fenick (Regular Organization Republican of Union County) District 21 Republican primary Candidates C. Louis Bassano , Assemblyman from Union Township (Regular Organization Republican of Union County) District 22 Republican primary Candidates Anthony J. Crincoli (Regular Republican Party) Donald DiFrancesco , incumbent Senator since 1979 (Regular Organization Republican of Union County) Democratic primary Candidates Frank Fiorito (Democratic Party— Organization) District 23 Republican primary Candidates Walter Foran , incumbent Senator since 1977 (Regular Republican Organization) Democratic primary Candidates Samuel J. Gugliemini (Regular Democratic Organization) General election Candidates Walter Foran , incumbent Senator since 1977 (Republican) Samuel J. Gugliemini (Democratic) District 24 Republican primary Candidates The campaign between Albanese and Dumont was possibly the most bitter in the state. Dumont had supported Albanese in his short-lived campaign for governor, only for Albanese to withdraw from that race and challenge Dumont. [ 8]
Democratic primary Candidates Edward Gaffney (Regular Democratic Party Organization) General election Candidates Wayne Dumont , incumbent Senator since 1968 [ a] (Republican) Edward Gaffney (Democratic) District 25 Democratic primary Candidates Horace Chamberlain (Democrat) General election Candidates Horace Chamberlain (Democratic) John H. Dorsey , incumbent Senator since 1978 (Republican) District 26 Democratic primary Candidates Benjamin Steltzer (Regular Democrat) General election Candidates Benjamin Steltzer (Democratic) James P. Vreeland , incumbent Senator since 1974 (Republican) District 27 Democratic primary Candidates James J. Brown ("Think" Democratic) Richard Codey , Assemblyman from Orange (Democratic Party Organization) Gayle Brody Rosen District 28 General election Candidates John P. Caufield , incumbent Senator since 1979 (Democratic) Herta B. Tully (Republican) District 29 Democratic primary Candidates Wynona Lipman , incumbent Senator since 1972 (Democratic Party— Organization) Republican primary Candidates Louis J. Smith (Essex Republican Party Organization) General election Candidates Wynona Lipman , incumbent Senator since 1972 (Democratic) Louis J. Smith (Republican) District 30 Republican primary Candidates John I. Crecco (Essex Republican Party Organization) General election Candidates John I. Crecco (Republican) Arthur Kinoy (Citizens) Carmen Orechio , incumbent Senator since 1974 and mayor of Nutley (Democratic) District 31 Republican primary Candidates Jean C. Lane (Regular Republican Organization) District 32 Republican primary Candidates Joseph F. Ward (Regular Republican Organization) Notes 1 2 Senator Dumont previously served in the Senate from 1952 to 1966 but gave up his seat for one term in order to run for Governor in 1965. References 1 2 Tinney, Kathleen (November 1, 2012). "Joseph A. Maressa, 89, former state Senator" . The Philadelphia Inquirer . Retrieved June 26, 2021 . 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Sullivan, Joseph F. (June 7, 1981). "A NEW LOOK FOR THE LEGISLATURE". The New York Times . p. NJ1. 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 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 "Candidates for the Offices of State Senate and General Assembly" (PDF) . Retrieved August 3, 2023 . 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 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 "Candidates for the Offices of State Senate and General Assembly" (PDF) . Retrieved June 26, 2021 . ↑ Prendergast, Frank J. (May 13, 1981). "Lavin Criticizes Perskie" . Press of Atlantic City . p. 40. Retrieved August 4, 2023 . 1 2 Micko, Lillian (October 27, 1981). "Money becomes main issue in 3rd district race" . Courier-Post . p. 6. Retrieved August 4, 2023 . ↑ Staff. "County Voters Shun Primary - Heavily" , Asbury Park Press , June 6, 1979. Accessed September 15, 2016. "Elsewhere in the state, candidates running on a ticket fielded by Florio won the Democratic nominations in two Camden County Assembly districts over an opposing ticket backed by Errichetti.... Four-term Assemblymen Kenneth Gewertz and Francis Gorman were upset by Florio's team of Daniel Dalton and Dennis Riley in the fourth district, which takes in parts of Gloucester and Burlington counties as well as part of Camden." 1 2 3 4 5 6 "One incumbent fails to hold Senate seat" . The Daily Register . Associated Press. June 3, 1981. p. 9. Retrieved August 4, 2023 .
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