2001 New Jersey gubernatorial election


The 2001 New Jersey gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 2001. Primaries took place on June 25. Democratic nominee Jim McGreevey won the general election with 56% of the vote against Republican Bret Schundler, becoming New Jersey's first majority-elected governor since James Florio in 1989. Democrats simultaneously ended Republican control of both houses of the legislature after 10 years. This is also the last statewide election in which Democrats won Monmouth and Ocean counties. This was the first time since 1973 that a Democrat won without carrying Cape May County.
McGreevey, who was sworn in on January 15, 2002, resigned in November 2004 after disclosing both his homosexuality and an alleged extramarital relationship with a man whom he had appointed as one of his advisors. He was succeeded by Senate President Richard Codey, who filled the remainder of McGreevey's term.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Withdrew

Declined

Campaign

Beginning with his loss in the 1997 campaign, Jim McGreevey actively sought support for a second consecutive nomination for governor by courting labor leaders and county party chairmen, whose endorsements were crucial to securing the county line. In late June 2000, he raised $3.2 million for the state party.
In July 2000, U.S. senator Robert Torricelli announced he would challenge McGreevey for the nomination. Torricelli put himself forward as a candidate who could bridge the gap between the northern and southern wings of the party, which remained bitterly divided after the primary election for United States Senate earlier in the year. He quickly secured the support of some labor leaders and minor endorsements in Camden, Morris, Bergen and Burlington counties, and his supporters predicted that he would receive party endorsements in populous Essex and Hudson counties as well, giving him a "stranglehold" on the nomination. However, Torricelli was dogged by ethics complaints stemming from his 1996 campaign, which had resulted in a federal investigation and guilty pleas from six contributors, and his widely publicized investments in several private equity deals. Additionally, his personal style and ambition had drawn many rivals within the state party.
With support from state senators Raymond Lesniak and John A. Lynch Jr., McGreevey was able to block Torricelli from gaining South Jersey county endorsements and lock up the support of organized labor. In late July, the state party published polling which showed that McGreevey led Torricelli among likely primary voters 35 percent to 31 percent, signaling another bitter primary fight. In response, Newark mayor Sharpe James and other Essex County leaders, including state senator Richard Codey, endorsed McGreevey. At the news conference announcing their endorsements, McGreevey swiped at Torricelli, "The Democratic Party is greater than any individual's political ambitions."
On July 31, Torricelli ended his campaign for the nomination, saying that he had been "humbled" by his failure to generate grassroots support and "naive" for believing that "people would put their own interests aside to work toward the goal of something larger." Although party chair Thomas Giblin praised his decision to back out rather than fracture the party, Torricelli declined to immediately endorse McGreevey, instead citing his colleagues Frank Pallone and Bill Pascrell as potential nominees.

Aftermath

Rutgers University political science professor Cliff Zukin observed that Torricelli's decision to enter the race and abruptly withdraw damaged his standing within the state party and his ambitions for the presidency. Ultimately, Torricelli ended his political career in 2002 under the cloud of his campaign finance scandal, when he dropped out of his bid for re-election to the Senate trailing in the general election polls.

Republican primary

Candidates

Withdrew

Declined

General election

Candidates

Polling

;with Donald DiFrancesco
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Jim
McGreevey 		Donald
DiFrancesco 		Other/
Undecided
QuinnipiacNovember 28–December 4, 20001,261 RV±2.8%41%26%34%
Rutgers-EagletonJanuary 24–30, 2001649 LV±4.0%39%26%35%
QuinnipiacJanuary 30–February 5, 20011,156 RV±2.9%40%32%28%
QuinnipiacFebruary 28–March 4, 20011,129 RV±2.9%41%37%22%
QuinnipiacFebruary 28–March 4, 20011,145 RV±2.9%42%33%24%
Rutgers-EagletonApril 11–17, 2001632 LV±4.0%44%26%30%

;with Bob Franks
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Jim
McGreevey 		Bob
Franks 		Other/
Undecided
QuinnipiacNovember 28–December 4, 20001,261 RV±2.8%38%35%28%
QuinnipiacMay 1–8, 20011,181 RV±2.9%44%35%21%

Results

Results by county



CountyMcGreevey votesMcGreevey %Schundler votesSchundler %Other votesOther %
Atlantic38,62357.5%27,54741.0%9951.5%
Bergen140,21555.1%111,22143.7%3,1061.2%
Burlington62,69755.4%48,09842.5%2,4372.2%
Camden78,16964.6%40,06333.1%2,7282.3%
Cape May17,11848.5%17,47149.5%7352.1%
Cumberland19,44557.7%13,58340.3%6682.0%
Essex129,40671.9%48,54027.0%2,0831.2%
Gloucester41,08358.1%28,21039.9%1,3922.0%
Hudson85,07468.8%37,44030.3%1,2241.0%
Hunterdon13,91135.3%23,05958.4%2,4846.3%
Mercer57,51360.9%31,70533.6%5,1485.5%
Middlesex117,06162.7%66,74935.7%2,9991.6%
Monmouth91,83849.5%89,98748.5%3,6472.0%
Morris60,94842.8%79,35055.8%1,9421.4%
Ocean84,53851.2%77,72647.1%2,6901.6%
Passaic62,39058.1%43,80640.8%1,2381.2%
Salem10,83753.5%8,87843.8%5402.7%
Somerset39,11045.6%44,81552.2%1,9032.2%
Sussex14,64137.5%23,47860.1%9572.4%
Union79,68260.3%50,78038.4%1,7901.4%
Warren12,55442.3%15,66852.8%1,4324.8%

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic