This is the last time Republicans won a majority of seats from New Jersey, and Republicans have only won the popular vote once since in the state, in 2010.
Overview
1996 United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey[1]
Mel Suplee, university contract specialist and candidate for mayor of Bellmawr in 1994 and state senate in 1995[3] (Republican)
Norman E. Wahner (Independent)
Campaign
Suplee accused Andrews of alienating his fellow Democratic caucus members in Congress, endangering his ability to form coalitions to pass legislation, and called for term limits, a balanced budget, and reduced immigration.[3]
Ruth Katz, public health program director and candidate for this district in 1994[3] (Democratic)
Frank LoBiondo, incumbent Representative since 1995 (Republican)
Andrea Lippi (Independent)
Campaign
Katz, a moderate who supported welfare reform requiring recipients to work and maintaining current funding levels for Head Start and higher education loans, was expected to give the one-term incumbent LoBiondo a serious challenge. She criticized LoBiondo and the Republican Congress for cutting back on environmental regulations.[3]
Leonardi focused his campaign on preserving Medicare by reducing benefits for the wealthy and balancing the federal budget. He proposed lowering the deficit by repealing tax cuts and cutting defense spending. Saxton was regarded as a formidable incumbent for his moderate stances on gun control and environmental protection, including preventing his party from weakening of the Clean Water Act, as well as his strong fundraising.[3]
Kevin John Meara, former member of the Hamilton Township Council[3] (Democratic)
Chris Smith, incumbent Representative since 1981 (Republican)
J. Morgan Strong (Independent)
Candidate
Meara matched the incumbent on a number of issues, including opposing abortion, favoring work requirements for welfare, and favoring stronger immigration restrictions. He opposed the North American Free Trade Agreement and supporter the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy.[3]
Running his second consecutive campaign, Bill Auer supported universal healthcare, reductions in defense spending, and permitting gay servicemembers in the military.[3]
Pallone, considered a relative moderate, had opposed the NAFTA and GATT free trade initiatives but was one of the few Democrats outside of the South to support the tax cut provisions of the Contract with America. Corodemus criticized him for failing to write or sponsor enough legislation during his four terms in office.[3]
Bob Franks, incumbent Representative from Summit since 1993 (Republican)
Nicholas W. Gentile (Independent)
Larry Lerner, Union Township attorney and civil rights activist[3] (Democratic)
Robert G. Robertson (Independent)
Campaign
Lerner, a strong fundraiser, supported stringent environmental protections and jobs training programs for laid-off employees. He ran on a long record of activism, including suing to end tax exemptions for whites-only organizations in 1974 and lobbying for the release of wrongly imprisoned Jews in the former Soviet Union.[3]
The Democratic Party considered this their best opportunity to gain a seat in New Jersey in 1996; both parties agreed that it was a close contest. The candidates predicted they would spend more than $1 million each, making this the most expensive race in the state.[6]
Pascrell focused on social issues, calling for federally financed anti-crime programs. He also sought to tie Martini to House speaker Newt Gingrich and the Contract with America, much of which Martini had supported during his term in office. Pascrell criticized the Republican Congress for proposing to slow the increase in federal Medicare spending by $270 billion over the next seven years.[6]
Martini focused his campaign on fiscal issues, calling for spending cuts and a reduction in the size of the federal government. He sought to distance himself from Republican congressional leadership, stressing his record on environmental protection and support for an increase in the federal minimum wage.[6] Given his efforts to prevent development of the 17,500-acre Sterling Forest in New York, he won the endorsement of the Sierra Club.[3]
Both candidates supported a balanced-budget amendment and an overall reduction in the capital gains tax rate.[6]
Incumbent Democrat Bob Torricelli did not run for re-election, choosing instead to run for the open U.S. Senate seat vacated by Bill Bradley. In the race to succeed him, Steve Rothman defeated Kathleen Donovan.
Both candidates ran on socially liberal platforms, supporting abortion rights, gun control, and federal funding for environmental protection. Donovan portrayed herself an independently minded moderate and voiced her opposition to presidential nominee Bob Dole's proposal for a 15 percent tax cut. Rothman called for a tax deduction on college tuition.[6]
Despite the Democratic lean of the district and the strength of Bill Clinton and Bob Torricelli atop the ticket, both parties devoted significant resources to the district. Donovan, who was considered the more recognizable candidate, was the strongest Republican nominee in many years.[6] She won the endorsement of Local 346, a laborers union.[3]
Evangel ran on a liberal platform, proposing increased employment training grants, incentives for teenage mothers to stay in school, tax breaks for companies that train laid-off workers, and increased funding for environmental programs. Frelinghuysen, a first-term incumbent, had already secured a powerful position on the House Appropriations Committee and supported funding for the mass transit, Superfund cleanups, and housing for the elderly and disabled.[3]
Incumbent Republican Dick Zimmer did not run for re-election, choosing instead to run for the open U.S. Senate seat vacated by Bill Bradley. Somerset County freeholder Mike Pappas defeated Lambertville mayor David Del Vecchio in the general election to succeed Zimmer.
Del Vecchio, a relatively nonpartisan candidate, ran on his support of the Brady Bill, won the endorsement of the Sierra Club, and opposed prayer in schools. Pappas supported welfare reform and tax reform.[3]
In a reversal of typical party positions, Del Vecchio supported the death penalty while Pappas opposed it. However, the candidates were most sharply divided on abortion rights, which Del Vecchio supported and Pappas strongly condemned.[3] Pappas defended himself against accusations that he was a single-issue candidate or radical, arguing, "The radical positions of the Democrats are what is out of the mainstream."[3]
Carlos E. Munoz, Republican nominee for state senate in 1982 and 1991 and freeholder in 1990[3] (Republican)
Rupert Ravens (Independent)
Herbert H. Shaw, perennial candidate (Independent)
Campaign
Although Munoz was well-known from his prior campaigns for office, he had never won a race. The typically Democratic district was expected to favor Menendez, who had strong cross-party support from Hispanic voters in the district.[3]
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