1998 United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey

Overview

District 1

Incumbent Democrat Rob Andrews won. The district included parts of Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester counties.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Rob Andrews, incumbent Representative from Haddon Heights since 1990

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

• Ronald L. Richards, member of the Voorhees Township Committee

Results

General election

Candidates

• Rob Andrews, incumbent Representative from Haddon Heights since 1990 (Democratic)
• James E. Barber (Independent)
• Ronald L. Richards, member of the Voorhees Township Committee (Republican)
• Ed Forchion, marijuana legalization activist (Independent)
• Joseph W. Stockman (Independent)
• David E. West Jr. (Independent)

Campaign

Given this district's strong Democratic lean, the general election was a foregone conclusion in favor of the incumbent Andrews, who easily outraised his opponent. Richards touted his success in cutting local taxes and criticized Andrews, who had spent much of 1997 running for governor, for missing votes in Congress.

Results

District 2

Incumbent Republican Frank A. LoBiondo won. This district, the largest in South Jersey, included all of Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, and Salem counties and parts of Burlington and Gloucester.

Republican primary

Candidates

• Frank LoBiondo, incumbent Representative since 1995

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Derek Hunsberger, Rowan University administrator

Results

General election

Candidates

• Glenn Campbell (Independent)
• Derek Hunsberger, Rowan University administrator (Democratic)
• Frank LoBiondo, incumbent Representative since 1995 (Republican)
• Mary A. Whittam (Independent)

Candidate

Hunsberger, who was only 28, ran without the support of Democratic leadership and described himself as an "angry voter candidate" opposed to the two-party system. He refused to raise money and instead focused on direct voter outreach.

Results

District 3

Incumbent Republican Jim Saxton won. This district included parts of Burlington, Camden, and Ocean counties.

Republican primary

Candidates

• Jim Saxton, incumbent Representative from Mount Holly since 1984

Results

General election

Candidates

• Ken Feduniewicz, candidate for this district in 1996 (Independent)
• Steven J. Polansky, attorney and former member of the Cherry Hill Board of Education (Democratic)
• James Pircher (Independent)
• Janice Presser, candidate for this district in 1996 (Independent)
• Jim Saxton, incumbent Representative from Mount Holly since 1984 (Republican)
• Norman E. Wahner, candidate for the 1st district in 1996 (Independent)

Results

District 4

Incumbent Republican Chris Smith won. This district, in Central Jersey, consisted of parts of Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean counties.

Republican primary

Candidates

• Chris Smith, incumbent Representative since 1981

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Paul Rizzo
• Lewis duPont Smith
• Larry Schneider, software development executive
• Paul D. Teel

Results

General election

Candidates

• Nick Mellis (Independent)
• Keith Quarles, candidate for the sixth district in 1996 (Independent)
• Larry Schneider, software development executive (Democratic)
• Chris Smith, incumbent Representative since 1981 (Republican)
• Morgan Strong, candidate for this district in 1996 (Independent)

Campaign

Schneider criticized Smith for using abortion to derail United States funding for the United Nations; Smith's position on abortion had been a consistent target for his Democratic opponents.

Results

District 5

Incumbent Marge Roukema won after facing a strong primary challenge from assemblyman Scott Garrett. This district included parts of Bergen, Passaic, and Sussex counties and all of Warren County.

Republican primary

Candidates

• Scott Garrett, assemblyman from Wantage
• Marge Roukema, incumbent Representative from Ridgewood since 1981

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Mike Schneider, former television anchorman

Results

General election

Candidates

• Helen Hamilton, candidate for this district in 1994 and 1996 (Independent)
• Marge Roukema, incumbent Representative from Ridgewood since 1981 (Republican)
• Mike Schneider, former television anchorman (Democratic)
• William Weightman (Independent)
• Thomas W. Wright (Independent)

Campaign

Schneider, who had never run for public office, ran his campaign on a limited budget, did not have consultants or media advisors, and refused to accept money from political action committees.

Results

District 6

Incumbent Democrat Frank Pallone won. This district included parts of Middlesex and Monmouth counties.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Frank Pallone, incumbent Representative from Long Branch since 1988

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

• Mike Ferguson, Brookdale College political science professor

Results

General election

Candidates

• Mike Ferguson, Brookdale College political science professor (Republican)
• Leonard P. Marshall (Independent)
• Carl J. Mayer, consumer advocate, member of the Princeton Township Council, and runner-up in the 1996 and 1998 Democratic primaries in the twelfth district (Green)
• Steve Nagle (Independent)
• Frank Pallone, incumbent Representative from Long Branch since 1988 (Democratic)

Campaign

Carl J. Mayer, who finished second in the Democratic primary in the neighboring twelfth district for the second consecutive election, went to court to win the right to run as an independent against Pallone. Although Pallone had supported Rush Holt, his primary opponent, Mayer claimed he had no personal animosity towards Pallone. His campaign was self-financed.

Mike Ferguson, a political science professor, ran a well-financed challenge with funding from the national and state Republican committees and the New Conservative Leadership Fund; he was able to run television commercials and full-page newspaper advertisements attacking Pallone. Although Pallone would typically be heavily favored on the basis of the district's Democratic lean, Karen Demasters of The New York Times reported it to be a toss-up in the final week of campaigning, given two well-funded challengers.

Results

District 7

Incumbent Bob Franks won. This district included parts of Essex, Middlesex, Somerset, and Union counties.

Republican primary

Candidates

• Bob Franks, incumbent Representative from Summit since 1993

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Maryanne Connelly, mayor of Fanwood

Results

General election

Candidates

• Maryanne Connelly, mayor of Fanwood (Democratic)
• Bob Franks, incumbent Representative from Summit since 1993 (Republican)
• Richard C. Martin (Independent)
• Darren Young (Independent)

Campaign

Franks, who had been handily elected to three terms in office, campaigned on the Republican record in Congress, including balancing the budget and welfare reform.

Connelly criticized Franks for neglecting his duties to his district, arguing that he was focused on running for governor in 2001 rather than his job in Washington. She proposed low-interest loans for middle-income families to cover the costs of college and opposed school vouchers, which she argued would undermine the public school system. Although the district was Republican-leaning, Connelly expected to gain support from opponents of the ongoing Clinton impeachment proceedings, who believed that Republicans were persecuting the president.

Results

District 8

Incumbent Democrat Bill Pascrell won. This district included parts of Essex and Passaic counties.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Bill Pascrell, incumbent Representative from Paterson since 1997

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

• Matthew J. Kirnan, attorney and mayor of Verona

Results

General election

Candidates

• Jose L. Aravena (Independent)
• Thomas Paine Caslander (Independent)
• Bernard George, Conservative Party nominee for this district in 1994 (Independent)
• Matthew J. Kirnan, attorney and mayor of Verona (Republican)
• Jeffrey Levine, candidate for this district in 1996 (Independent)
• Bill Pascrell, incumbent Representative from Paterson since 1997 (Democratic)
• Stephen Spinosa (Independent)

Campaign

After three consecutive competitive elections, the Republican Party initially expected to challenge Bill Pascrell for re-election. Their nominee, Matthew Kirnan, was the mayor of Verona and an ally of James Treffinger, who led the Essex County ticket. He also benefited from running with popular sheriff Edwin Englehardt in Passaic County. Both Governor Christine Todd Whitman and former governor Thomas Kean campaigned in the district for Kirnan, who emphasized education reform in his campaign, including support for competitive standardized testing and merit pay for teachers.

However, the urban cores of the district in Paterson and Passaic had turned out for Bill Clinton in 1996 and Jim McGreevey in 1997, and Pascrell appeared to have late momentum.

Results

District 9

Incumbent Democrat Steve Rothman won.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Steve Rothman, incumbent Representative from Fair Lawn since 1997

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

• Steve Lonegan, mayor of Bogota

Results

General election

Candidates

• Kenneth Ebel (Independent)
• Michael W. Koontz (Independent)
• Steve Lonegan, mayor of Bogota (Republican)
• Michael Perrone Jr. (Independent)
• Steve Rothman, incumbent Representative from Fair Lawn since 1997 (Democratic)

Campaign

Steve Lonegan, who had built a political profile by fighting the Federal Aviation Administration over aircraft noise, received full support from the Republican National Committee and national Republican leadership, including 1996 presidential nominee Bob Dole. Republicans considered Rothman vulnerable, particularly in an off-year election without Bill Clinton and Bob Torricelli leading the Democratic ticket.

In contrast to 1996, when Rothman handily defeated Republican nominee Kathleen Donovan, Lonegan was less widely known and more conservative.

Results

District 10

Incumbent Democrat Donald M. Payne won. The district included parts of Essex, Hudson, and Union counties.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Donald M. Payne, incumbent Representative from Newark since 1989
• Dennis Speed

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

• William Stanley Wnuck, computer scientist

Results

General election

Candidates

• Donald M. Payne, incumbent Representative from Newark since 1989 (Democratic)
• Richard J. Pezzullo (Independent)
• Maurice Williams (Independent)
• William Stanley Wnuck, computer scientist (Republican)

Campaign

Wnuck, who came from a family of perennial candidates and was given little chance of defeating Payne, focused his campaign on cutting taxes using the federal budget surplus and opposition to urban revitalization projects in downtown Newark, which he had argued did not help middle-class workers.

Results

District 11

Incumbent Republican Rodney Frelinghuysen won. This district consisted of all of Morris County and parts of Essex, Passaic, Somerset, and Sussex counties.

Republican primary

Candidates

• Rodney Frelinghuysen, incumbent Representative since 1995

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

• James D. Kelly Jr.
• Frank C. Marmo
• John Mele
• John P. Scollo, attorney for Prudential Insurance

Results

General election

Candidates

• Stephen A. Bauer (Independent)
• Rodney Frelinghuysen, incumbent Representative since 1995 (Republican)
• Agnes A. James (Independent)
• Austin S. Lett, candidate for this district in 1996 (Independent)
• John P. Scollo, attorney for Prudential Insurance (Democratic)

Campaign

Scollo, who acknowledged he faced an uphill battle to defeat Frelinghuysen, criticized the campaign finance system which required enormous amounts of money to defeat an incumbent. He proposed a tax plan which allowed families to have $35,000 in untaxed income to enable them to "start fighting the battle of the bills by being able to save again."

Results

District 12

Incumbent Republican Mike Pappas ran for a second term in office but was defeated by Rush Holt Jr. Pappas's campaign sank after he sang "Twinkle, Twinkle, Kenneth Starr" on the floor of the House during the Clinton impeachment proceedings. Holt used the clip of Pappas singing in widely aired advertisements.

This district, based in Central Jersey, included all of Hunterdon County and parts of Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth and Somerset counties.

Republican primary

Candidates

• Mike Pappas, incumbent Representative since 1997

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Rush Holt Jr., assistant director of the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, candidate for this seat in 1996 and son of U.S. Senator Rush Holt
• Carl J. Mayer, consumer advocate, member of the Princeton Township Committee and candidate for this seat in 1996

Results

General election

Candidates

• Mary Jo Christian (Independent)
• Rush Holt Jr., assistant director of the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, candidate for this seat in 1996 and son of U.S. Senator Rush Holt (Democratic)
• Beverly Kidder (Independent)
• Mike Pappas, incumbent Representative since 1997 (Republican)
• Joseph Siano (Independent)

Campaign

Holt, who emerged from the contentious Democratic primary with low name recognition, was given a slight chance of winning. Although Republican leadership strove to portray this as a safe district, this was the only New Jersey district in which an incumbent Republican was targeted by the Democratic National Committee. Pappas, who was much more conservative than his predecessor Dick Zimmer, also won by a much smaller margin in 1996 than had been typical for Zimmer.

Results

District 13

Incumbent Democrat Bob Menendez won. This district included parts of Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, and Union counties.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Bob Menendez, incumbent Representative from Union City since 1993

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

• Theresa de Leon, attorney and chief financial officer for the Legal Aid Society of New York
• Carlos E. Munoz

Results

General election

Candidates

• Susan Anmuth (Independent)
• Theresa de Leon, attorney and chief financial officer for the Legal Aid Society of New York (Republican)
• Dick Hester, Republican candidate for this district in 1996 (Independent)
• Bob Menendez, incumbent Representative from Union City since 1993 (Democratic)
• Richard G. Rivera (Independent)

Campaign

De Leon, a self-identified "progressive conservative", criticized Menendez for his ambition, arguing that he would seek to run for U.S. Senate in 2000 and neglect his duties to the district.

Results

References

References

1. "General Election Data - 1924 to 2022".
2. (June 16, 1998). "Official List: Primary Election Returns for the Office of U.S. House of Representatives for Election Held June 2, 1998".
3. Demasters, Karen. (1998-11-01). "ELECTION '98; Who's Running for Congress or, in Some Cases, Walking". The New York Times.
4. (December 1, 1998). "Official List: Candidate Returns for House of Representatives for November 1998 General Election".