The 2017 New Jersey gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 2017, to elect the governor of New Jersey. Incumbent Republican governor Chris Christie was term-limited and ineligible to seek re-election to a third consecutive term. Former U.S. Ambassador to Germany, Phil Murphy and former Speaker of the Assembly Sheila Oliver won the gubernatorial election in a landslide, defeating incumbent lieutenant governor Kim Guadagno and the incumbent Mayor of Woodcliff Lake Carlos Rendo by a wide margin of 14.14%. This election was one of the first major races that took place during Donald Trump's first presidency.
Primary elections took place on June 6, 2017. Kim Guadagno, the incumbent lieutenant governor of New Jersey, won the Republican primary for governor and chose Woodcliff Lake Mayor Carlos Rendo as her running mate. Phil Murphy, a banker and former U.S. Ambassador to Germany, won the Democratic primary, and chose former State Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver as his running mate. Seth Kaper-Dale ran as the Green Party candidate with Lisa Durden, while Pete Rohrman ran as the Libertarian Party candidate with Karrese Laguerre. Matt Riccardi ran as the Constitution Party candidate. There were two other independent candidates on the ballot.
Murphy led throughout the general election, with many analysts expecting a Democratic pickup. When polls closed on Election Day, Murphy was immediately declared the winner, based on exit polling alone. Murphy received 56.0% of the vote to Guadagno's 41.9%. Murphy slightly outperformed Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential run in the state, and won one county (Gloucester) that Clinton lost in 2016, while Guadagno didn't win any county that Clinton won in 2016. With the election of Sheila Oliver as lieutenant governor, she became the first woman of color elected to statewide office in New Jersey. 38.5% of registered voters cast ballots, marking the lowest turnout on record for any gubernatorial election in New Jersey. Guadagno later left the Republican Party in July 2021.
2017 was the first New Jersey gubernatorial election since 1989 in which the Democratic candidate won Somerset County, as well as the first since 2005 in which the Democratic candidate won Burlington County, Middlesex County, Atlantic County, or Gloucester County. Murphy became the first New Jersey governor since Brendan Byrne in 1973 to win without any prior elected experience, and the first since Charles Edison in 1940 to win without having held any prior public office in the state. This is the first gubernatorial election since 1937 in which the Democratic nominee won without winning Salem County, and the first since 1981 that it voted for the losing candidate.
Background Primary elections took place on June 6, 2017. New Jersey utilizes a semi-closed primary system, meaning that only registered party members may vote in primary elections. However, unaffiliated voters can change their party registration and vote in either party primary on election day.
The deadline to file petitions to qualify for primary elections was April 3; eleven contenders submitted petitions satisfying the requirement of 1,000 signatures. On April 18, as is required by the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, the candidates' financial disclosures, showing sources of earned income (e.g. salaries) and unearned income (e.g. investments), were made public.
Gubernatorial primary candidates utilized what is known as the "matching funds" program. Those who raised at least $430,000 qualified to receive two dollars in public money for every dollar raised privately. State law mandates that any primary candidates who qualify for matching funds must participate in at least two primary debates. Candidates who choose not to seek matching funds but commit to raising and spending at least $430,000 can also participate. As of May 8, primary candidates had received donations from ten states other than New Jersey.
The first debates were held on May 9, hosted by Stockton University. The Republicans debated first followed by the Democrats. The debates were live-streamed on Facebook, the university's website via Livestream, and on News 12 New Jersey. The live stream was simulcast in Spanish. The second Democratic debate was held on May 11, the second Republican debate on May 18. They were co-hosted by PBS Member network NJTV and NJ Spotlight.
The Republican debates included two of the five candidates: Jack Ciattarelli and Kim Guadagno, who both qualified for matching funds. Hirsh Singh filed a lawsuit to enter the debates, claiming to have raised over $900,000 despite missing a deadline to file; his challenge was rejected by the state courts.
The Democratic debates included four of the six candidates: Jim Johnson, John Wisniewski (who both qualified for matching funds), Phil Murphy (who opted out of matching funds but had spent enough to qualify), and Raymond Lesniak (who did not raise enough to qualify for matching funds but loaned his campaign enough money to qualify for the debates).
Republican primary
Candidates
Declared Jack Ciattarelli, state assemblyman Kim Guadagno, Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of State Steven Rogers, Nutley Commissioner of Public Affairs Joseph Rudy Rullo, businessman and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2012 Hirsh Singh, engineer and businessman
Withdrawn Dana Wefer, chairwoman of the Hoboken Housing Authority
Declined Jon Bramnick, Minority Leader of the New Jersey General Assembly (ran for reelection) Randy Brown, mayor of Evesham Township Michael J. Doherty, state senator (ran for reelection) Thomas Kean Jr., Minority Leader of the New Jersey Senate and son of former governor Thomas Kean (ran for reelection) Kevin J. O'Toole, state senator Joe Piscopo, actor, comedian and radio show host
Fundraising Primary campaign finance activity through June 23, 2017 Candidate Raised Spent Cash on hand Jack Ciattarelli $1,768,417 $1,731,962 $36,337 Kim Guadagno $3,540,927 $3,451,743 $89,184 Steven Rogers $27,522 $27,522 $0 Joseph Rudy Rullo $13,573 $9,809 $64 Hirsh Singh $1,021,387 $1,016,191 $5,196 Source: New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission
Endorsements
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin JackCiattarelli KimGuadagno StevenRogers JosephRudy Rullo HirshSingh Other UndecidedStockton University May 16–23, 2017 389 (LV)± 4.9% 18% 37% 4% 3% 3% 2% 31%Stockton University April 26 – May 1, 2017 359 (RV) – 19% 29% 4% 4% 2% 1% 41%Quinnipiac University April 26 – May 1, 2017 331 (RV)± 5.4% 12% 23% 5% 3% — a1% 51%Fairleigh Dickinson UniversityFairleigh Dickinson University March 22–26, 2017 216 (RV)± 6.7% 5% 24% 1% 1% 0% 14%54%Quinnipiac University March 9–13, 2017 315 (RV)± 5.5% 3% 28% 2% 1% — 19% 42%Fairleigh Dickinson UniversityFairleigh Dickinson University January 25–29, 2017 275 (RV)± 5.9% 2% 18% 2% 0% — 25% 52%
Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror JonBramnick KimGuadagno Other UndecidedFDUFDU September 1–7, 2014 721 ± 3.7% 4% 12% 11% 74%
Results
Democratic primary Candidates Declared Bill Brennan, activist and former firefighter Jim Johnson, former U.S. Under Secretary of the Treasury for Enforcement Raymond Lesniak, state senator and former chairman of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee Phil Murphy, former United States Ambassador to Germany and former Goldman Sachs executive John Wisniewski, state assemblyman and former chairman of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee Mark Zinna, Tenafly Borough Council President
Withdrawn Paul Binetti, LGBT activist and nightclub manager Monica Brinson, pharmaceutical sales representative Bob Hoatson, sexual abuse victims advocate and former Catholic priest Lisa McCormick, weekly newspaper publisher Titus Pierce, businessman and Iraq War veteran
Declined Cory Booker, U.S. senator Tom Byrne, former chairman of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee and son of former governor Brendan Byrne Richard Codey, state senator and former governor (running for re-election) Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr., Essex County Executive Steven Fulop, mayor of Jersey City (running for re-election) Rush Holt Jr., former U.S. representative Michael Murphy, lobbyist and candidate for governor in 1997 Robert Russo, Deputy Mayor of Montclair Township Shavonda E. Sumter, state assemblywoman (running for re-election) Stephen M. Sweeney, president of the New Jersey Senate (running for re-election)
Fundraising Primary campaign finance activity through June 23, 2017 Candidate Raised Spent Cash on hand Bill Brennan $20,847 $20,847 $0 Jim Johnson $3,256,514 $3,198,226 $58,288 Raymond Lesniak $791,368 $718,619 $64,990 Phil Murphy $21,995,248 $21,735,597 $262,951 John Wisniewski $2,142,139 $2,081,439 $60,795 Mark Zinna $33,498 $32,622 $877 Source: New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission
Endorsements
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin BillBrennan JimJohnson RaymondLesniak PhilMurphy JohnWisniewski MarkZinna Other UndecidedStockton University May 16–23, 2017 403 (LV)± 4.9% 3% 10% 4% 34% 9% 1% 1% 33%Stockton University April 26 – May 1, 2017 385 (RV) – 2% 6% 5% 37% 8% 0% — 41%Quinnipiac University April 26 – May 1, 2017 519 (RV)± 4.3% 3% 7% 4% 26% 5% 1% 1% 52%The Mellman Group April 26–30, 2017 600 (LV)± 4.0% 0% 4% 3% 37% 7% 0% — 49%Fairleigh Dickinson University March 22–26, 2017 386 (RV)± 5.0% 2% 4% 3% 23% 4% 0% 10% 53%Quinnipiac University March 9–13, 2017 450 (RV)± 4.6% 2% 4% 4% 23% 6% — — 57%Fairleigh Dickinson University January 25–29, 2017 410± 4.8% — 2% 7% 17% 6% — 17% 50%Lake Research Partners November 17–21, 2016 400 (LV)± 4.9% — 8% — 22% 10% — — 59%
Poll source Date(s)administered Sample Margin oferror RichardCodey StevenFulop Stephen M.Sweeney Other UndecidedFDU September 1–7, 2014 721 ± 3.7% 27% 3% 9% 6% 55%
Results
Third parties and independents Declared Gina Genovese (Independent), former mayor of Long Hill Seth Kaper-Dale (Green), pastor Matt Riccardi (Constitution), Marine veteran Pete Rohrman (Libertarian), retired U.S. Marine and nominee for Bergen County Freeholder in 2015 and 2016 Vincent Ross (Independent), electrician
Withdrawn Karese Laguerre (Independent), dental hygienist (running for lieutenant governor on the Libertarian ticket) Jonathan Lancelot (Independent), computer technician Mike Price (Independent), businessman
Declined Joe Piscopo (Independent), actor, comedian, and radio show host
General election Seven candidates were on the ballot in the November general election, the lowest number in a New Jersey gubernatorial contest since six ran in 1989.
Candidates
Major The following candidates have qualified to appear in the state-sponsored debates: Kim Guadagno (Republican), Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of State of New Jersey Running mate: Carlos Rendo, Mayor of Woodcliff Lake Phil Murphy (Democratic), former United States Ambassador to Germany and former Goldman Sachs executive Running mate: Sheila Oliver, State Assemblywoman and former Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly
Minor The following third-party or independent candidates qualified for the ballot but did not raise enough money to qualify for state-sponsored debates: Gina Genovese (Reduce Property Taxes), former mayor of Long Hill Running mate: None (Genovese initially named Democratic campaign operative Derel Stroud as a running mate, who would later withdraw. No replacement was selected.) Seth Kaper-Dale (Green), pastor Running mate: Lisa Durden, media commentator and former Essex County College adjunct communications professor Matt Riccardi (Constitution), Marine veteran Running mate: None Pete Rohrman (Libertarian), retired U.S. Marine and nominee for Bergen County Freeholder in 2015 and 2016 Running mate: Karese Laguerre, dental hygienist Vincent Ross (We The People), electrician Running mate: April A. Johnson
Debates