The 1986 United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey were held on November 8, 1986, to determine who would represent the people of New Jersey in the United States House of Representatives. This election coincided with national elections for U.S. House and U.S. Senate. New Jersey had fourteen seats in the House, apportioned according to the 1980 United States census. Representatives are elected for two-year terms.
All incumbents were re-elected to their seats.
Overview 1986 United States House of Representatives elections in New JerseyPartyVotesPercentageCandidatesSeats+/–Democratic811,06652.21%148Republican730,59647.03%136Socialist Workers1,9770.13%10Libertarian9310.06%10Independents8,9740.58%50Totals1,553,544100.00%3414
District 1
Incumbent Democrat James Florio won. The district included parts of Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester counties.
Democratic primary
Candidates
James Florio, incumbent Representative since 1975 Charles W. Kahler
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Fred A. Busch
Results
General election
Candidates
Fred A. Busch (Republican) James Florio, incumbent Representative since 1975 (Republican) Jerry Zeldin (Libertarian)
Results
District 2
Incumbent William J. Hughes won. This district, the largest in South Jersey, included all of Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, and Salem counties and parts of Gloucester County.
Democratic primary
Candidates
William J. Hughes, incumbent Representative since 1975 Robert Wesser
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Alfred J. Bennington Jr., Northfield lawyer
Results
General election
Candidates
Alfred J. Bennington Jr., Northfield lawyer (Republican) William J. Hughes, incumbent Representative since 1975 (Democratic) Len Smith (Pro Life, Anti-Abortion)
Results
District 3
Incumbent Democrat James J. Howard won.
This district included parts of Monmouth and Ocean counties.
Democratic primary
Candidates
James J. Howard, incumbent Representative since 1965 Jeanne Martines
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Brian T. Kennedy, former state senator from Sea Girt and nominee for this district in 1984
Results
General election
Candidates
James J. Howard, incumbent Representative since 1965 (Democratic) Brian T. Kennedy, former state senator from Sea Girt and nominee for this district in 1984 (Republican)
Results
District 4
Incumbent Republican Chris Smith won. This district, in Central Jersey, consisted of parts of Burlington, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean counties.
Republican primary
Candidates
Chris Smith, incumbent Representative since 1981
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Stephen A. Koczak Jeffrey Laurenti, former executive director of the New Jersey Senate Democratic majority and candidate for this district in 1984
Results
General election
Candidates
Earl G. Dickey (Stop Financing Communism) Jeffrey Laurenti, former executive director of the New Jersey Senate Democratic majority (Democratic) Chris Smith, incumbent Representative since 1981 (Republican)
Campaign The fourth district campaign was considered the bitterest of the election cycle.
Results
District 5
Incumbent Marge Roukema won. This district included parts of Bergen, Passaic, and Sussex counties.
Republican primary
Candidates
William B. Grant, businessman, former member of the Montclair Township Commission and nominee for the eleventh district in 1974 Marge Roukema, incumbent Representative from Ridgewood since 1981
Campaign Grant challenged Roukema over fiscal issues, primarily her opposition to the Reagan administration's increased defense spending, arguing that his candidacy "[gave] Republican voters in the fifth district a choice between someone who supports the president on rebuilding national defense and someone who votes with the majority of Democrats against the majority of Republicans." He also criticized her vote in favor of the Boland Amendment, which restricted funding for the Nicaraguan Contra rebels and said he would have opposed the Gramm–Rudman–Hollings Balanced Budget Act and cuts to Social Security cost-of-living adjustments instead sought to reduce the deficit through domestic spending cuts, including the liquidation of the Amtrak passenger rail system.
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Denise A. Ham, supporter of Lyndon LaRouche H. Vernon Jolley, Oradell lawyer
Results
General election
Candidates
H. Vernon Jolley, Oradell lawyer (Democratic) Marge Roukema, incumbent Representative from Ridgewood since 1981 (Republican)
Results
District 6
Incumbent Democrat Bernard J. Dwyer won. This district included parts of Middlesex, Monmouth and Union counties.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Anne DeGennaro Bernard J. Dwyer, incumbent Representative from Edison since 1981
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
John D. Scalamonti Ernest L. Oros, member of the Woodbridge Township CouncilHagerty, John R. "Woodbridge Council Names Former Assemblyman Ernie Oros as 2009 Leader", Courier News (New Jersey), May 11, 2009. Accessed July 8, 2010.
Results
General election
Candidates
Bernard J. Dwyer, incumbent Representative from Edison since 1981 (Democratic) Rose Zeidwerg Monyek ("Inflation Fighting Housewife") John D. Scalamonti (Republican)
Results
District 7
Incumbent Matt Rinaldo won. This district included parts of Essex, Middlesex, Somerset, and Union counties.
Republican primary
Candidates
Matt Rinaldo, incumbent Representative from Union since 1973
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
James J. Cleary, supporter of Lyndon LaRouche June S. Fischer, member of the Democratic National Committee
Results
General election
Candidates
June S. Fischer, member of the Democratic National Committee (Democratic) Matt Rinaldo, incumbent Representative from Union since 1973 (Republican)
Results
District 8
Incumbent Robert Roe won without opposition. This district included parts of Bergen, Essex, Morris and Passaic counties.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Arthur Fairchild, supporter of Lyndon LaRouche Robert A. Roe, incumbent Representative from Wayne since 1969
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Ronald Ruise Thomas P. Zampino, Belleville lawyer
Results
General election
Candidates
Robert A. Roe, incumbent Representative from Wayne since 1969 (Democratic) Thomas P. Zampino, Belleville lawyer (Republican)
Results
District 9
Incumbent Democrat Bob Torricelli won. This district consisted of parts of Bergen and Hudson counties.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Elliot Greenspan, supporter of Lyndon LaRouche Bob Torricelli, incumbent Representative from Englewood since 1983
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Arthur F. Jones, Bergen County Freeholder
Results
General election
Candidates
Arthur F. Jones, Bergen County Freeholder (Republican) Bob Torricelli, incumbent Representative from Englewood since 1983 (Democratic)
Results
District 10
Incumbent Democrat Peter W. Rodino won. The district included parts of Essex and Union counties.
Democratic primary
Candidates
A. Pearl Hart, supporter of Lyndon LaRouche Arthur S. Jones Donald M. Payne, member of the Newark City Council and candidate for this district in 1980 Peter W. Rodino, incumbent Representative since 1949
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Alvin K. Terry
Results
After the primary, Terry withdrew his name from the general election ballot.
General election
Candidates
Chris Brandlon (Socialist Workers) Peter W. Rodino, incumbent Representative since 1949 (Democratic)
Withdrew
Alvin K. Terry (Republican)
Results
District 11
Incumbent Republican Dean Gallo won. This district consisted of parts of Essex, Morris, Sussex and Warren counties.
Republican primary
Candidates
Dean Gallo, incumbent Representative since 1985 Kevin E. Reid
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Frank Askin, West Orange attorney and civil rights activist Mary Frueholz, supporter of Lyndon LaRouche
Results
General election
Candidates
Frank Askin, West Orange attorney and civil rights activist (Democratic) Dean Gallo, incumbent Representative since 1985 (Republican)
Results
District 12
Incumbent Republican Jim Courter won. This sprawling district included all of Hunterdon County and parts of Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Somerset, Sussex, and Warren counties.
Republican primary
Candidates
Jim Courter, incumbent Representative since 1979
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
David Crabiel, Middlesex County Freeholder and candidate for the fourth district in 1974 Richard Forbes, supporter of Lyndon LaRouche
Results
General election
Candidates
David Crabiel, Middlesex County Freeholder and candidate for the fourth district in 1974 (Democratic) Jim Courter, incumbent Representative since 1979 (Republican)
Results
District 13
Incumbent Republican Jim Saxton won. This district included parts of Burlington, Camden, and Ocean counties.
Republican primary
Candidates
Jim Saxton, incumbent Representative since 1984
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Eugene Allan Creech Charles M. Grigley, supporter of Lyndon LaRouche John Wydra, Cherry Hill radio newscaster
Results
General election
Candidates
Jim Saxton, incumbent Representative since 1984 (Republican) John Wydra, Cherry Hill radio newscaster (Democratic)
Results
District 14
Incumbent Democrat Frank J. Guarini won. This district included parts Hudson County.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Frank J. Guarini, incumbent Representative since 1979 Herbert D. Smith, supporter of Lyndon LaRouche Marie R. Vaughan
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Octavio Alfonso Albio Sires, Memorial High School teacher
Results
General election
Candidates
Frank J. Guarini, incumbent Representative since 1979 (Democratic) William Link ("Let Freedom Ring") Herbert Shaw, perennial candidate (Port Authority = Crooks) Albio Sires, Memorial High School teacher (Republican)
Campaign In part to aid Sires, the National Republican Committee funded a $20,000 Hispanic voter registration drive in the district.
Results
In 1995, Sires was elected mayor of West New York as an independent before switching to the Democratic Party. He was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly in 1999 and represented the equivalent of this district in Congress from a 2006 special election until leaving office in 2023. In the 2006 race, Sires ironically defeated a Republican named John J. Guarini.
References