1986 United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey Last updated August 30, 2025
1986 United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey Majority party Minority party Party Democratic Republican Last election 8 6 Seats won 8 6 Seat change Popular vote 811,066 730,596 Percentage 52.2% 47.0% Swing
District results Democratic
50–60%
60–70%
70–80%
90–100%
Republican
60–70%
70–80%
The 1986 United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey were held on November 8, 1986, to determine who would represent the people of New Jersey in the United States House of Representatives . This election coincided with national elections for 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.
All incumbents were re-elected to their seats.
Overview 1986 United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey [ 1] Party Votes Percentage Candidates Seats +/– Democratic 811,066 52.21% 14 8 Republican 730,596 47.03% 13 6 Socialist Workers 1,977 0.13% 1 0 Libertarian 931 0.06% 1 0 Independents 8,974 0.58% 5 0 Totals 1,553,544 100.00% 34 14
District 1 1986 New Jersey's 1st congressional district election
Incumbent Democrat James Florio won. The district included parts of Burlington , Camden , and Gloucester counties.
Democratic primary Candidates James Florio , incumbent Representative since 1975 Charles W. Kahler General election Candidates Fred A. Busch (Republican) James Florio , incumbent Representative since 1975 (Republican) Jerry Zeldin (Libertarian) District 3 1986 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 James J. Howard, incumbent Representative since 1965 (Democratic) Brian T. Kennedy , former state senator from Sea Girt and nominee for this district in 1984 [ 5] (Republican) District 4 1986 New Jersey's 4th congressional district election
Incumbent Republican Chris Smith won. This district, in Central Jersey , consisted of parts of Burlington , Mercer , Middlesex , Monmouth and Ocean counties.
Democratic primary Candidates Stephen A. Koczak Jeffrey Laurenti, former executive director of the New Jersey Senate Democratic majority and candidate for this district in 1984 [ 4] General election Candidates Earl G. Dickey (Stop Financing Communism) Jeffrey Laurenti, former executive director of the New Jersey Senate Democratic majority [ 4] (Democratic) Chris Smith , incumbent Representative since 1981 (Republican) Campaign The fourth district campaign was considered the bitterest of the election cycle. [ 4]
District 5 1986 New Jersey's 5th congressional district election
Incumbent Marge Roukema won. This district included parts of Bergen , Passaic , and Sussex counties.
Republican primary Campaign Grant challenged Roukema over fiscal issues, primarily her opposition to the Reagan administration's increased defense spending, arguing that his candidacy "[gave] Republican voters in the fifth district a choice between someone who supports the president on rebuilding national defense and someone who votes with the majority of Democrats against the majority of Republicans." [ 6] He also criticized her vote in favor of the Boland Amendment , which restricted funding for the Nicaraguan Contra rebels and said he would have opposed the Gramm–Rudman–Hollings Balanced Budget Act and cuts to Social Security cost-of-living adjustments instead sought to reduce the deficit through domestic spending cuts, including the liquidation of the Amtrak passenger rail system. [ 6]
District 6 1986 New Jersey's 6th congressional district election
Incumbent Democrat Bernard J. Dwyer won. This district included parts of Middlesex , Monmouth and Union counties.
Democratic primary Candidates Anne DeGennaro Bernard J. Dwyer , incumbent Representative from Edison since 1981 General election Candidates Bernard J. Dwyer , incumbent Representative from Edison since 1981 (Democratic) Rose Zeidwerg Monyek ("Inflation Fighting Housewife") John D. Scalamonti (Republican) District 8 1986 New Jersey's 8th congressional district election
Incumbent Robert Roe won without opposition. This district included parts of Bergen , Essex , Morris and Passaic counties.
District 9 1986 New Jersey's 9th congressional district election
Incumbent Democrat Bob Torricelli won. This district consisted of parts of Bergen and Hudson counties.
District 10 1986 New Jersey's 10th congressional district election
Incumbent Democrat Peter W. Rodino won. The district included parts of Essex and Union counties.
Republican primary Results After the primary, Terry withdrew his name from the general election ballot. [ 10]
General election Candidates Chris Brandlon (Socialist Workers) Peter W. Rodino , incumbent Representative since 1949 (Democratic) Withdrew Alvin K. Terry [ 10] (Republican) District 11 1986 New Jersey's 11th congressional district election
Incumbent Republican Dean Gallo won. This district consisted of parts of Essex , Morris , Sussex and Warren counties.
Republican primary Candidates Dean Gallo , incumbent Representative since 1985 Kevin E. Reid District 13 1986 New Jersey's 13th congressional district election
Incumbent Republican Jim Saxton won. This district included parts of Burlington , Camden , and Ocean counties.
District 14 1986 New Jersey's 14th congressional district election
Incumbent Democrat Frank J. Guarini won. This district included parts Hudson County .
General election Campaign In part to aid Sires, the National Republican Committee funded a $20,000 Hispanic voter registration drive in the district. [ 10]
Results In 1995, Sires was elected mayor of West New York as an independent before switching to the Democratic Party. He was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly in 1999 and represented the equivalent of this district in Congress from a 2006 special election until leaving office in 2023. In the 2006 race, Sires ironically defeated a Republican named John J. Guarini.
References 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Anderson, Donnald K. (May 29, 1987). "STATISTICS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 4, 1986" (PDF) . Office of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives . p. 25. Retrieved June 23, 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 "Candidates for the Office of House of Representatives -- Primary Election, Held June 3, 1986" (PDF) . New Jersey Department of State . Retrieved June 20, 2025 . 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "Official Results of the November 4, 1986 General Election by Congressional District and Municipality" (PDF) . Retrieved June 20, 2025 . 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Sullivan, Joseph F. (October 29, 1986). "THE POLITICAL CAMPAIGN; JERSEY RARITY: CONGRESSIONAL RACES LEAD THE BALLOT" . The New York Times . ISSN 0362-4331 . Retrieved June 20, 2025 . 1 2 Wildstein, David (November 26, 2018). "How Frank Pallone got to Congress" . New Jersey Globe . Retrieved June 20, 2025 . 1 2 3 "Roukema foe declares" . The Record . December 20, 1985. p. 12. Retrieved June 23, 2025 . ↑ Hagerty, John R. "Woodbridge Council Names Former Assemblyman Ernie Oros as 2009 Leader" , Courier News (New Jersey) , May 11, 2009. Accessed July 8, 2010. Archived July 31, 2013, at the Wayback Machine 1 2 Sullivan, Joseph F. (October 29, 1986). "Jersey Focuses On Tight Race For Congress" . The New York Times . ISSN 0362-4331 . Retrieved June 20, 2025 . 1 2 "Candidates collect money for fall races" . North Jersey Herald and News . July 30, 1986. p. 14. Retrieved June 23, 2025 . 1 2 3 Sullivan, Joseph F. (November 2, 1986). "POLITICS; LOCAL ISSUES WILL DECIDE OUTCOMES ON ELECTION DAY" . The New York Times . ISSN 0362-4331 . Retrieved June 23, 2025 .
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