1987 New Jersey General Assembly election

The 1987 New Jersey General Assembly election was held on November 5, 1987.
The elections took place midway through Governor Tom Kean's second term in office. Democrats won back eight seats, narrowing the Republican majority to four. Democrats flipped one seat in districts 1 and 14, as well as flipping both seats in districts 32, 33, and 36.

Incumbents not running for re-election

Democratic

Republican

Summary of races

Voters in each legislative district elect two members to the New Jersey General Assembly.

Incumbents not running for re-election • Summary of races • District 1 • District 2 • District 3 • District 4 • District 5 • District 6 • District 7 • District 8 • District 9 • District 10 • District 11 • District 12 • District 13 • District 14 • District 15 • District 16 • District 17 • District 18 • District 19 • District 20 • District 21 • District 22 • District 23 • District 24 • District 25 • District 26 • District 27 • District 28 • District 29 • District 30 • District 31 • District 32 • District 33 • District 34 • District 35 • District 36 • District 37 • District 38 • District 39 • District 40

Close races

Districts where the difference of total votes between the top-two parties was under 10%:

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District 1

General election

Candidates

Raymond A. Batten, candidate for Assembly in 1985
Frank LoBiondo, Cumberland County Freeholder
Edward H. Salmon, Cumberland County Freeholder and former mayor of Millville
Gerald M. Thornton

District 2

General election

Candidates

Dolores G. Cooper, incumbent Assembly member since 1982
J. Edward Kline, incumbent Assembly member since 1984
Fred Scerni
William A. Thompson III

District 3

General election

Candidates

Jack Collins, incumbent Assembly member since 1986
Paul A. Oland
Gary Stuhltrager, incumbent Assembly member since 1986
James G. Waddington

District 4

General election

Candidates

Anthony S. Marsella, incumbent Assembly member since 1982
John Matheussen, attorney
Dennis L. Riley, incumbent Assembly member since 1980
Wayne S. Wooster

District 5

General election

Candidates

Wayne R. Bryant, incumbent Assembly member since 1982
Jose DeJesus Jr.
Raymond R. Groller
Joseph J. Roberts, incumbent Assembly member since July 1987

District 6

General election

Candidates

Patrick J. Brennan
John A. Rocco, incumbent Assembly member since 1980
Thomas J. Shusted, incumbent Assembly member since 1978
John J. Tarditi Jr.

District 7

General election

Candidates

Renee L. Borstad, candidate for Assembly in 1985
Vincent R. Faris
Thomas P. Foy, incumbent Assembly member since 1980
Barbara Kalik, incumbent Assembly member since 1978

District 8

General election

Candidates

Harold L. Colburn Jr., incumbent Assembly member since 1984
Thomas Long
Robert C. Shinn Jr., incumbent Assembly member since February 1985
Harrison B. Slack, candidate for Assembly in 1985

District 9

General election

Candidates

Judy Anderson
John T. Hendrickson Jr., incumbent Assembly member since 1982
Jeffrey Moran, incumbent Assembly member since 1986
Harry F. Schmoll Jr.

District 10

General election

Candidates

John Paul Doyle, incumbent Assembly member since 1974 and former Assembly Majority Leader
Marlene Lynch Ford, former Assembly member
Robert A. Gasser
Robert Singer, incumbent Assembly member since 1986 and former mayor of Lakewood Township

District 11

General election

Candidates

Mary K. Blohm
John D'Amico Jr., Monmouth County Freeholder
Joshua Leinsdorf
Joseph A. Palaia, incumbent Assembly member since 1982
Joseph Quinn
Anthony M. Villane, incumbent Assembly member since 1976

District 12

General election

Candidates

Gene J. Anthony
John O. Bennett, incumbent Assembly member since 1980
Dante J. Massa
Marie Sheehan Muhler, incumbent Assembly member since 1976

District 13

General election

Candidates

William Flynn, former Assembly member
Joe Kyrillos, special assistant to the U.S. Secretary of the Interior
Joann H. Smith, incumbent Assembly member since 1986
Jacqueline Walker, former Assembly member

District 14

Democratic primary

Candidates

Anthony J. Cimino, Mercer County Freeholder
Janice Mironov, East Windsor municipal attorney
Joseph D. Patero, former Assembly member from Manville
Declined
Joseph L. Bocchini, incumbent Assembly member since 1982

Republican primary

Declined

John K. Rafferty, incumbent Assembly member since 1986 and mayor of Hamilton Township

General election

Candidates

Anthony J. Cimino, Mercer County Freeholder
David J. Kenny
Joseph D. Patero, former Assembly member
Walt Sodie

District 15

General election

Candidates

Arthur E. Frank
John S. Furlong
Gerald S. Naples, incumbent Assembly member since 1982
John S. Watson, incumbent Assembly member since 1982

District 16

General election

Candidates

Walter J. Kavanaugh, incumbent Assembly member since 1976
Adele Montgomery
John S. Penn, incumbent Assembly member since 1984
Alfred A. Wicklund

District 17

General election

Candidates

David C. Schwartz, incumbent Assembly member since 1978
Peter J. Selesky
Bob Smith, incumbent Assembly member since 1986
Dorothy Sonnenberg

District 18

Democratic primary

Candidates

Frank M. Pelly, incumbent Assembly member since 1982
George A. Spadoro, member of the Edison Township Council
Declined
Thomas H. Paterniti, incumbent Assembly member since 1980

General election

Candidates

Doris M. Fleming
Robert Maurer
Frank M. Pelly, incumbent Assembly member since 1982
George A. Spadoro, member of the Edison Township Council

District 19

General election

Candidates

Alan Karcher, incumbent Assembly member since 1974 and former Speaker of the General Assembly
George Otlowski, incumbent Assembly member since 1974 and mayor of Perth Amboy
Beverly A. Samuelson
Emery Z. Toth, candidate for Assembly in 1985

District 20

General election

Candidates

Thomas J. Deverin, incumbent Assembly member since 1970
George Hudak, incumbent Assembly member since 1986 and mayor of Linden
Peter Kobylarz
William Wnuck

District 21

General election

Candidates

Robert Blitz
Brian W. Fahey
Peter J. Genova, incumbent Assembly member since 1985
Chuck Hardwick, incumbent Assembly member since 1978 and Speaker of the General Assembly since 1986

District 22

General election

Candidates

Bob Franks, incumbent Assembly member since 1980
Robert J. Lafferty
Maureen Ogden, incumbent Assembly member since 1982

District 23

General election

Candidates

Edward J. Boccher
Dick Kamin, incumbent Assembly member since 1986
Frederick J. Katz Jr.
Bill Schluter, former member of the New Jersey Senate and General Assembly

District 24

General election

Candidates

Robert T. Davis, candidate for Assembly in 1985
Chuck Haytaian, incumbent Assembly member since 1982
Robert E. Littell, incumbent Assembly member since 1968
Edwin C. Selby

District 25

General election

Candidates

Arthur R. Albohn, incumbent Assembly member since 1980
Rodney Frelinghuysen, incumbent Assembly member since 1984
George J. Stafford

District 26

General election

Candidates

Drew Britcher
Ralph A. Loveys, incumbent Assembly member since 1984
Robert Martin, incumbent Assembly member since 1985
Paul E. Nagel

District 27

Democratic primary

Candidates

Stephanie R. Bush, East Orange attorney
Mildred Barry Garvin, incumbent Assembly member since 1978
Christine Keno, East Orange resident
Harry A. McEnroe, incumbent Assembly member since 1980
Catherine Willis, campaign manager for Mildred Barry Garvin

General election

Candidates

Stephanie R. Bush, East Orange attorney
Harry A. McEnroe, incumbent Assembly member since 1980
Lilliana Piccione
James C. Pitchford

District 28

General election

Candidates

Michael Adubato, incumbent Assembly member since 1974
Howard E. Berkeley
Lawrence Hamm, community activist
William P. Rutan
James Zangari, incumbent Assembly member since 1980

District 29

General election

Candidates

Willie B. Brown, incumbent Assembly member since 1974
Kurt A. Culbreath, candidate for Assembly in 1985
Jackie Mattison, chief of staff to mayor of Newark Sharpe James
Shahid S. Watson

District 30

General election

Candidates

Marion Crecco, incumbent Assembly member since 1986
Cynthia DeBonis
John V. Kelly, incumbent Assembly member since 1986
James A. Plaisted

District 31

General election

Candidates

Joseph Charles, incumbent Assembly member since 1982
Joseph Doria, incumbent Assembly member since 1980
Modesto Daniel Fiume
James V. McNally Jr.

District 32

General election

Candidates

Cathy Borer
Peter Galbo
Frank J. Gargiulo, incumbent Assembly member since 1986
Anthony Impreveduto, member of the Secaucus Town Council
David C. Kronick
Lee S. Lichtenberger

District 33

General election

Candidates

Jose Arango, incumbent Assembly member since 1986
Michael P. Dapuzzo
Bernard Kenny, former Hoboken assistant corporation counsel
Bob Menendez, mayor of Union City
Wanda Morales
Angelo M. Valente

District 34

General election

Candidates

William L. Kattak
Gloria J. Kolodziej
Newton Edward Miller, incumbent Assembly member since 1980
Gerald H. Zecker, incumbent Assembly member since 1984

District 35

Democratic primary

Candidates

John Girgenti, incumbent Assembly member since 1978
Bill Pascrell, member of the Paterson Board of Education and chair of the Passaic County Democratic Committee
Withdrew
Roy Griffin, president of the Paterson City Council
William Kline, assistant superintendent of Paterson Public Schools

General election

Candidates

Robert Angele
Martin G. Barnes, member of the Paterson City Council
John Girgenti, incumbent Assembly member since 1978
Bill Pascrell, member of the Paterson Board of Education and chair of the Passaic County Democratic Committee

District 36

General election

Candidates

Andrew E. Bertone
Frakn B. Calandriello
Thomas J. Duch, mayor of Garfield
Louis J. Gill, member of the Passaic City Council

District 37

General election

Candidates

Byron Baer, incumbent Assembly member since 1972
Anthony J. Cassano
Barry N. Frank
D. Bennett Mazur, incumbent Assembly member since 1982

District 38

General election

Candidates

Joseph Capizzi
Patrick J. Roma, member of the Palisades Park Borough Council
John J. Ryan Jr.
Pat Schuber, incumbent Assembly member since 1982

District 39

General election

Candidates

Robert P. Bonnano
William J. Daly
Elizabeth Randall, assistant counsel to Governor Thomas Kean
John E. Rooney, incumbent Assembly member since 1983

District 40

General election

Candidates

Nicholas Felice, incumbent Assembly member since 1982
Walter M. D. Kern, incumbent Assembly member since 1978
Michael Harris
Edward F. Seavers Jr.
Michael S. Taaffe