The 2000 United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey were held on November 7, 2000, to determine who would represent the people of New Jersey in the United States House of Representatives. This election coincided with national elections for President of the United States, U.S. House and U.S. Senate. New Jersey had thirteen seats in the House, apportioned according to the 1990 United States census. Representatives are elected for two-year terms.
Overview 2000 United States House of Representatives elections in New JerseyPartyVotesPercentageCandidatesSeats+/– Democratic 1,526,586 51.27%13 7 Republican 1,379,174 46.32%13 6 Green 47,850 1.61%12 0 Conservative5,9460.20%70Reform3,4260.12%30 Libertarian 2,159 0.07%2 0 Legalize Marijuana1,9590.07%10Socialist7880.03%10Natural Law7250.02%20Socialist Workers7040.02%20Constitution5620.02%10 Independents 7,452 0.25%6 0 Totals 2,977,331 100.00%63 13 —
District 1
Incumbent Democrat Rob Andrews won.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Rob Andrews, incumbent Representative from Haddon Heights since 1990
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Charlene Cathcart, tax attorney
Results
General election
Candidates
Rob Andrews, incumbent Representative from Haddon Heights since 1990 (Democratic) Charlene Cathcart, tax attorney (Republican) Ed Forchion, marijuana legalization activist (Legalize Marijuana) Catherine L. Parrish (Green) Joseph Patalivo (NJ Conservative)
Results
District 2
Incumbent Republican Frank A. LoBiondo won.
Republican primary
Candidates
Frank LoBiondo, incumbent Representative since 1995
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Steven A. Farkas Edward G. Janosik, retired political science professor
Results
General election
Candidates
Robert Gabrielsky (Green) Edward G. Janosik, retired political science professor (Democratic) Frank LoBiondo, incumbent Representative since 1995 (Republican) Constantino Rozzo (Socialist)
Results
District 3
Incumbent Republican Jim Saxton won.
Republican primary
Candidates
Jim Saxton, incumbent Representative from Mount Holly since 1984
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Susan Bass Levin, mayor of Cherry Hill
Results
General election
Candidates
Ken Feduniewicz (Reform) Aaron M. Kromash (Green) Susan Bass Levin, mayor of Cherry Hill (Democratic) Jim Saxton, incumbent Representative from Mount Holly since 1984 (Republican) Norman E. Wahner (NJ Conservative)
Results
District 4
Incumbent Republican Chris Smith won.
Republican primary
Candidates
Chris Smith, incumbent Representative since 1981
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Reed Gusciora, assemblyman from Princeton
Withdrew
Larry Schneider
Results
General election
Candidates
Stuart Chaifetz (Green) Reed Gusciora, assemblyman from Princeton (Democratic) Chris Smith, incumbent Representative from Robbinsville since 1981 (Republican) Paul D. Teel (Unthinkable Courage)
Results
District 5
Incumbent Marge Roukema won after facing a strong primary challenge from assemblyman Scott Garrett for the second consecutive election.
Republican primary
Candidates
Scott Garrett, Assemblyman from Wantage and candidate for this seat in 1998 Marge Roukema, incumbent Representative from Ridgewood since 1981
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Linda A. Mercurio, independent Assembly candidate for New Jersey's 39th legislative district in 1999
Results
General election
Candidates
Ira Goodman (Reform) Helen Hamilton (Natural Law) Michael King (Green) Robert J. McCafferty (New Jersey Independents) Linda A. Mercurio, independent Assembly candidate for New Jersey's 39th legislative district in 1999 (Democratic) Marge Roukema, incumbent Representative from Ridgewood since 1981 (Republican)
Results
District 6
Incumbent Democrat Frank Pallone won.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Frank Pallone, incumbent Representative from Long Branch since 1988
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Charles T. Hutchins Brian T. Kennedy, former state senator and assemblyman from Sea Girt and candidate for U.S. Senate in 1994
Withdrew
Mike Ferguson, Brookdale College teacher and nominee for this district in 1998 (ran for 7th district)
Results
General election
Candidates
Earl Gray (Green) Brian T. Kennedy, former state senator and assemblyman from Sea Girt and candidate for U.S. Senate in 1994 (Republican) Sylvia Kuzmak (NJ Conservative) Frank Pallone, incumbent Representative from Long Branch since 1988 (Democratic) Karen Zaletel (Reform)
Results
District 7 Incumbent representative Bob Franks announced in December 1999 that he would not seek re-election to his seat in the House, in order to run for the United States Senate seat being vacated by Frank Lautenberg. His announcement left the 7th district seat open and hotly contested, with eight candidates declaring their campaigns for the major parties' nominations.
In the June primary, Mike Ferguson and Maryanne Connelly won the Republican and Democratic nominations, respectively. The general election was also sharply contested between the two parties; the Democratic Party cited this seat as one of their top opportunities in the country. In June, prior to the primaries, a national Democratic spokesman said, "It's one of our best opportunities in the country to pick up a Republican-held seat. It's a competitive open seat with a suburban electorate that has been trending Democratic."
In the end, Ferguson narrowly won the open seat over Connelly.
Republican primary
Candidates
Mike Ferguson, Brookdale College teacher and nominee for New Jersey's 6th congressional district in 1998 Thomas Kean Jr., former aide to Bob Franks and son of former governor Thomas Kean Patrick Morrissey, deputy staff director and chief health counsel for the United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce Joel Weingarten, assemblyman from Millburn
Withdrew
Ken Gardner Jr., member of the Woodbridge Township Council and chair of the Woodbridge Republican Party Roderick McNealy, Hillsborough resident Patricia L. Walsh, member of the Green Brook Township Council
Declined
Bob Franks, incumbent Representative from Summit since 1993 (ran for U.S. Senate)
Campaign Bob Franks's decision in December 1999 to run for U.S. Senate set off a scramble to establish residency; three of the four eventual candidates did not live in the district at the time of Franks's announcement. Mike Ferguson, a Monmouth County teacher who was running as a candidate in the adjacent 6th district, moved into the 7th; Tom Kean Jr., the son of the former governor, was studying international relations at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in Boston; and Patrick Morrissey, a U.S. House staffer, relocated from Washington to run. Only assemblyman Joel Weingarten, a resident of Millburn, actually lived in the district at the time Franks announced his campaign for U.S. Senate.
Weingarten made an issue of his opponents' residencies. was also the oldest of the four candidates, at only 40 years.
Kean, the son of a popular former governor and one of the state's most prominent political families, was the early favorite for the nomination in polling and the only candidate with significant name recognition. However, he lost the support of the county parties to Ferguson and Weingarten. Kean was also the most liberal of the four candidates on gun control and abortion.
In the final weeks of the campaign, observers considered Ferguson and Weingarten the favorites.
Endorsements
Democratic primary
Candidates
Maryanne Connelly, mayor of Fanwood and nominee for this seat in 1998 Joel Farley, Westfield lawyer Jeffrey Golkin, member of the Warren Township Committee Mike Lapolla, former Union County Freeholder
Withdrew
J. Brooke Hern, New Providence attorney and former Robert Torricelli staffer
Campaign Maryanne Connelly, the party's nominee in 1998, had performed surprisingly well against Franks, a popular incumbent. Party leadership appeared prepared to nominate her against Franks again in 2000, but upon Franks's decision to run for U.S. Senate, they endorsed Mike Lapolla. Lapolla received further support from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, a rare pre-primary endorsement from the national body.
A candidate debate on May 2 revealed few differences between the four contenders, who each favored Medicaid expansion, stricter gun control, and a right to abortion.
Although Lapolla was considered a strong front-runner, he surprised observers with a sharp radio attack ad against Connelly, in which an actress plays Ms. Connelly as a contestant on a quiz show titled, ''Who Wants to Be a Member of Congress?'' In the ad, the Connelly character is questioned on her positions and requests a weather report so she can see ''which way the political winds are blowing.'' Connelly criticized the ad as sexist, and she received the endorsements of the National Organization for Women and EMILY's List.
Endorsements
General election
Candidates
Maryanne Connelly, mayor of Fanwood and nominee for this seat in 1998 (Democratic) Jerry Coleman (Green) Mike Ferguson, Brookdale College teacher and nominee for New Jersey's 6th congressional district in 1998 (Republican) Shawn Gianella (NJ Conservative) Mary T. Johnson (Natural Law) Darren Young (Libertarian)
Campaign During the campaign, Rutgers University sophomore Frank Perrone Jr. was arrested for stealing Ferguson campaign signs.
Results
District 8
Incumbent Democrat Bill Pascrell won.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Bill Pascrell, incumbent Representative from Paterson since 1997
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Anthony Fusco Jr., former East Hanover Township attorney Bernard Anthony George
Results
General election
Candidates
Joseph Fortunato (Green) Anthony Fusco Jr., former East Hanover Township attorney (Republican) Bill Pascrell, incumbent Representative from Paterson since 1997 (Democratic) Viji Sargis (New Jersey Independents)
Results
District 9
Incumbent Democrat Steve Rothman won.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Steve Rothman, incumbent Representative from Fair Lawn since 1997
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Joseph Tedeschi
Results
General election
Candidates
Robert Corriston (NJ Conservative) Lewis Pell (Green) Michael Perrone Jr. (Independent/Progressive) Steve Rothman, incumbent Representative from Fair Lawn since 1997 (Democratic) Joseph Tedeschi (Republican)
Results
District 10
Incumbent Democrat Donald M. Payne won.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Donald M. Payne, incumbent Representative from Newark since 1989
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Dirk B. Weber
Withdrew
Rocky Flash, professional wrestler and race car driver
Results
General election
Candidates
Donald M. Payne, incumbent Representative from Newark since 1989 (Democratic) Dirk B. Weber (Republican) Maurice Williams (Socialist Workers)
Results
District 11
Incumbent Republican Rodney Frelinghuysen won.
Republican primary
Candidates
Rodney Frelinghuysen, incumbent Representative since 1995
Campaign Filmmaker Michael Moore attempted to enter a ficus tree in the Republican primary against Frelinghuysen, but state election officials refused to certify its nominating petitions, forcing Moore to run a write-in campaign for the tree instead.
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
John P. Scollo
Results
General election
Candidates
Rodney Frelinghuysen, incumbent Representative from Harding since 1995 (Republican) John Pickarski (Green) John P. Scollo (Democratic) James E. Spinosa (NJ Conservative)
Results
District 12