2020 United States Senate election in New Jersey
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The 2020 United States Senate election in New Jersey was held on November 3, 2020, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of New Jersey. It was held concurrently with the 2020 United States presidential election, as well as various other elections. The primary elections were moved from June 2, 2020, to July 7, 2020, due to COVID-19 pandemic concerns. Incumbent Senator Cory Booker was first elected in a 2013 special election to complete the term of fellow Democrat Frank Lautenberg, who died in office.[2]
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November 3, 2020
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| Turnout | 72%[1] ( 36pp) | ||||||||||||||||
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Booker: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Mehta: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Tie: 40–50% 50% No data | |||||||||||||||||
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Booker won a second full term against Republican Rik Mehta, narrowly winning Morris County, which no Democratic Senate candidate had carried since 1984 when Senator Bill Bradley swept every county. He also flipped Somerset County, which last voted for a Democrat for this seat in 1984. Booker also received the most votes (2,541,239) in a statewide non-presidential election in New Jersey history.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Cory Booker, incumbent U.S. senator and former candidate for President of the United States in 2020[3]
Eliminated in primary
- Lawrence Hamm, chairman of the People's Organization for Progress[4]
Withdrew
- Lisa McCormick, activist and candidate for Senate in 2018[5] (ran for Congress in New Jersey's 12th congressional district)
- Harsh Naik[6]
Declined
- Josh Gottheimer, incumbent U.S. representative for New Jersey's 5th congressional district[7] (ran for re-election)[8]
- Donald Norcross, incumbent U.S. representative for New Jersey's 1st congressional district[7][9] (ran for re-election)[10]
Endorsements
Cory Booker
State officials
- Annette Chaparro, assemblywoman, District 33[11]
- Nicholas Chiaravalloti, assemblyman, District 31[11]
- Sandra Bolden Cunningham, state senator, District 31[11]
- Angelica M. Jimenez, assemblywoman, District 32[11]
- Angela McKnight, assemblywoman, District 31[11]
- Pedro Mejia, assemblyman, District 32
- Raj Mukherji, assemblyman, District 33[11]
- Nicholas Sacco, state senator, District 32, Mayor of North Bergen, former assistant superintendent of North Bergen School District[11]
- Brian P. Stack, state senator, District 33, Mayor of Union City[11]
Local officials
- Ravi Bhalla, mayor of Hoboken[11]
- Diane Coleman, Hudson County Register[11]
- Jimmy Davis, mayor of Bayonne[11]
- Tom DeGise, Hudson County Executive[11]
- James Fife, mayor of Harrison[11]
- Steve Fulop, mayor of Jersey City[11]
- Mike Gonnelli, mayor of Secaucus[11]
- Dina Grilo, mayor of East Newark[11]
- E. Junior Maldonado, Hudson County Clerk[11]
- Gabe Rodriguez, mayor of West New York[11]
- Al Santos, mayor of Kearny[11]
- Frank X. Schillari, Hudson County Sheriff[11]
- Richard Turner, mayor of Weehawken[11]
- Wayne Zitt, mayor of Guttenberg[11]
Organizations
- Brady Campaign[12]
- Coalition to Stop Gun Violence[13]
- End Citizens United[14]
- Giffords[15]
- Hudson County Democratic Organization, Hudson County's chapter of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee[11]
- Humane Society of the United States Legislative Fund[16]
- League of Conservation Voters[17]
- NARAL Pro-Choice America[18]
- National Organization for Women[19]
- Natural Resources Defense Council Action Fund[20]
- Planned Parenthood[21]
- Sierra Club[22]
Lawrence Hamm
Individuals
- Cornel West, philosopher, political activist, and social critic[23]
Organizations
- Hudson County Democratic Socialists of America[24]
- Progressive Democrats of America[25]
Results
Booker—>90%
Booker—80–90%
Booker—70–80%
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Cory Booker (incumbent) | 838,110 | 87.58% | |
| Democratic | Lawrence Hamm | 118,802 | 12.42% | |
| Total votes | 956,912 | 100.0% | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Rikin "Rik" Mehta, pharmaceutical executive and attorney[27]
Eliminated in primary
- Eugene Anagnos, retired teacher[28]
- Tricia Flanagan, healthcare policy expert, biotech consultant, Independent candidate for U.S. Senate in 2018[29]
- Natalie Lynn Rivera, activist, Independent candidate for U.S. Senate in 2018[30]
- Hirsh Singh, engineer, candidate for Governor of New Jersey in 2017, and candidate for New Jersey's 2nd congressional district in 2018[31]
Withdrawn
- Navodaya Garepalli[32][33]
- Stuart Meissner, former New York Assistant Attorney General and Manhattan Assistant District Attorney, SEC Whistleblower Attorney, and Independent candidate for U.S. Senate in 2013[34][35][36]
- Gary Rich, former Monmouth County freeholder[37][38]
Declined
- Matt Rooney, attorney and political pundit[39]
Endorsements
Rik Mehta
Former state officials
- Chris Christie, Governor of New Jersey (2010–2018)[40]
County Republican Party organizations
- Bergen County[40]
- Burlington County[40]
- Essex County[40]
- Gloucester County[40]
- Hudson County[40]
- Hunterdon County[41]
- Mercer County[40]
- Middlesex County[40]
- Monmouth County[40]
- Morris County[40]
- Passaic County[40]
- Salem County[40]
- Somerset County[40]
- Sussex County[40]
- Union County[42]
- Warren County[40]
Hirsh Singh
County Republican Party organizations
Results
Mehta
- 60–70%
- 50–60%
- 40–50%
- <40%
Singh
- 70–80%
- 60–70%
- <40%
Flanagan
- Flanagan—<40%
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rik Mehta | 154,817 | 38.01% | |
| Republican | Hirsh Singh | 146,133 | 35.88% | |
| Republican | Tricia Flanagan | 72,678 | 17.84% | |
| Republican | Natalie Lynn Rivera | 21,650 | 5.31% | |
| Republican | Eugene Anagnos | 12,047 | 2.96% | |
| Total votes | 407,325 | 100.0% | ||
Other candidates
Green Party
Nominee
- Madelyn R. Hoffman, peace activist, 2018 U.S. Senate candidate, 1997 Green Party gubernatorial candidate, and 1996 Green Party Candidate for Vice President[45]
Endorsements
Madelyn R. Hoffman
Elected officials
- Corey Teague, member of the Paterson Board of Education[46]
Individuals
- Ajamu Baraka, peace activist, 2016 Green Party vice presidential nominee[46]
- Anthony Díaz, co-founder of the Newark Water Coalition; Democratic primary candidate for Essex County Freeholder[46]
- Margaret Flowers, peace activist, former co-chair of the Green Party[46]
- Howie Hawkins, activist, 2020 Green Party presidential nominee[46]
- Aissa Heath, Democratic primary candidate for Union County Freeholder[46]
- Chris Hedges, journalist[46]
- Kevin Hernández, Democratic primary candidate for Hudson County Freeholder District 6[46]
- Peter Jacob, social worker, Democratic candidate for Congress in New Jersey's 7th congressional district, 2016 and 2018[46]
- Seth Kaper-Dale, pastor, activist, 2017 Green Party gubernatorial candidate in New Jersey[46]
- Margaret Kimberley, activist, author, New York Green Party member[46]
- Kason Little, social justice activist; Democratic primary candidate, Elizabeth City Council At-Large[46]
- Lisa Savage, teacher, activist, Independent candidate for US Senate, Maine[46]
- David Schraeger, peace activist[46]
- Josh Shapiro, hub coordinator, Sunrise Montclair[46]
- Cindy Sheehan, peace activist[46]
- Jill Stein, physician, activist, and 2012 and 2016 Green Party presidential nominee[46]
- Herb Tarbous, Democratic primary candidate for Middlesex County Clerk[46]
- Bob Witanek, peace activist[46]
- Stef Zamorano, co-producer, The Jimmy Dore Show[46]
Radio
- 89.1 FM WHAR - Free Radio for the Free Thinker[46]
Organizations
LaRouche was Right
Nominee
- Daniel Burke[32]
Of, By, For!
Nominee
- Veronica Fernandez[32]
Independents
Declared
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[48] | Safe D | October 29, 2020 |
| Inside Elections[49] | Safe D | October 28, 2020 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[50] | Safe D | November 2, 2020 |
| Daily Kos[51] | Safe D | October 30, 2020 |
| Politico[52] | Safe D | November 2, 2020 |
| RCP[53] | Likely D | October 23, 2020 |
| DDHQ[54] | Safe D | November 3, 2020 |
| 538[55] | Safe D | November 2, 2020 |
| Economist[56] | Safe D | November 2, 2020 |
Additional general election endorsements
Cory Booker (D)
Senators
- Elizabeth Warren, U.S. senator (MA)[57]
Local officials
- Amy DeGise, Hudson County Democratic Organization Chairwoman[11]
Organizations
Unions
Madelyn R. Hoffman (G)
Organizations
- Hummus JC[46]
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[b] |
Margin of error |
Cory Booker (D) |
Rik Mehta (R) |
Other / Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research Co.[63] | October 31 – November 1, 2020 | 450 (LV) | ± 4.6% | 55% | 32% | 13%[c] |
| Swayable[64] | October 23–26, 2020 | 363 (LV) | ± 6.7% | 61% | 39% | – |
| Rutgers University[65] | October 19–24, 2020 | 851 (LV) | ± 4% | 61% | 31% | 9%[d] |
| Stockton University[66] | October 7–13, 2020 | 721 (LV) | ± 3.7% | 57% | 32% | 10%[e] |
| Emerson College[67] | September 4–7, 2020 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 52% | 28% | 21%[f] |
| Monmouth University[68] | April 16–19, 2020 | 635 (RV) | ± 3.9% | 55% | 32% | 11%[g] |
Hypothetical polling
with Hirsh Singh
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[b] |
Margin of error |
Cory Booker (D) |
Hirsh Singh (R) |
Other / Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monmouth University[68] | April 16–19, 2020 | 635 (RV) | ± 3.9% | 58% | 33% | 9%[h] |
on whether or not respondents would vote to reelect Cory Booker
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[b] |
Margin of error |
Yes | No | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quinnipiac[69] | April 30 – May 4, 2020 | 941 (RV) | ± 3.2% | 53% | 36% | 11% |
Results
The election was not close, with Booker winning re-election by 16.31%. Key to Booker's landslide victory were heavily populated areas such as Hackensack, Newark, and Trenton. Mehta did well in Ocean County, which is a Republican stronghold, as well as many rural areas of the state. Booker received 2,541,239 votes. Booker was sworn in for a second term on January 3, 2021. His term will expire on January 3, 2027.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Cory Booker (incumbent) | 2,541,239 | 57.23% | +1.39% | |
| Republican | Rikin Mehta | 1,817,091 | 40.92% | −1.41% | |
| Green | Madelyn Hoffman | 38,288 | 0.86% | +0.18% | |
| Independent | Veronica Fernandez | 32,290 | 0.73% | N/A | |
| Independent | Daniel Burke | 11,632 | 0.26% | N/A | |
| Total votes | 4,440,540 | 100.00% | N/A | ||
| Democratic hold | |||||
By county
| County[70] | Cory Booker Democratic |
Rikin Mehta Republican |
Various candidates Other parties |
Margin | Total votes cast | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Atlantic | 71,420 | 52.64% | 61,568 | 45.38% | 2,690 | 1.98% | 9,852 | 7.26% | 135,678 |
| Bergen | 280,054 | 57.94% | 195,193 | 40.38% | 8,103 | 1.68% | 84,861 | 17.56% | 483,350 |
| Burlington | 150,160 | 58.76% | 102,136 | 39.97% | 3,250 | 1.27% | 48,024 | 18.79% | 255,546 |
| Camden | 173,335 | 66.30% | 85,406 | 32.67% | 2,700 | 1.03% | 87,929 | 33.63% | 261,441 |
| Cape May | 22,952 | 41.57% | 31,317 | 56.72% | 945 | 1.71% | -8,365 | -15.15% | 55,214 |
| Cumberland | 31,992 | 52.69% | 26,626 | 43.85% | 2,102 | 3.46% | 5,366 | 8.84% | 60,720 |
| Essex | 260,604 | 77.78% | 69,750 | 20.82% | 4,715 | 1.41% | 190,854 | 56.96% | 335,069 |
| Gloucester | 85,489 | 50.31% | 80,943 | 47.64% | 3,487 | 2.05% | 4,546 | 2.68% | 169,919 |
| Hudson | 176,658 | 73.57% | 56,917 | 23.70% | 6,538 | 2.72% | 119,741 | 49.87% | 240,113 |
| Hunterdon | 36,728 | 44.40% | 43,951 | 53.13% | 2,041 | 2.47% | -7,223 | -8.73% | 82,720 |
| Mercer | 117,821 | 68.26% | 52,248 | 30.27% | 2,527 | 1.46% | 65,573 | 37.99% | 172,596 |
| Middlesex | 221,802 | 60.61% | 135,398 | 37.00% | 8,727 | 2.38% | 86,404 | 23.61% | 365,927 |
| Monmouth | 173,609 | 46.62% | 191,700 | 51.48% | 7,045 | 1.89% | -18,091 | -4.86% | 372,354 |
| Morris | 146,148 | 50.23% | 141,373 | 48.59% | 3,453 | 1.19% | 4,775 | 1.64% | 290,974 |
| Ocean | 116,036 | 35.24% | 207,751 | 63.09% | 5,501 | 1.67% | -91,715 | -27.85% | 329,288 |
| Passaic | 131,195 | 60.01% | 80,827 | 36.97% | 6,593 | 3.02% | 50,368 | 23.04% | 218,615 |
| Salem | 14,515 | 43.28% | 17,910 | 53.41% | 1,111 | 3.31% | -3,395 | -10.12% | 33,536 |
| Somerset | 105,681 | 57.49% | 75,622 | 41.14% | 2,520 | 1.37% | 30,059 | 16.35% | 183,823 |
| Sussex | 33,919 | 39.29% | 49,885 | 57.78% | 2,525 | 2.92% | -15,966 | -18.49% | 86,329 |
| Union | 166,997 | 67.42% | 76,677 | 30.96% | 4,014 | 1.62% | 90,320 | 36.47% | 247,688 |
| Warren | 24,124 | 40.45% | 33,893 | 56.83% | 1,623 | 2.72% | -9,769 | -16.38% | 59,640 |
| Totals | 2,541,239 | 57.23% | 1,817,091 | 40.92% | 82,210 | 1.85% | 724,148 | 16.31% | 4,440,540 |
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
- Morris (largest municipality: Parsippany)
- Somerset (largest municipality: Franklin Township)
By congressional district
Booker won nine out of 12 congressional districts in New Jersey, and Mehta won the other three, including one that elected a Democrat.[71]
| District | Booker | Mehta | Representative |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 62% | 36% | Donald Norcross |
| 2nd | 48% | 50% | Jeff Van Drew |
| 3rd | 49.0% | 49.4% | Andy Kim |
| 4th | 43% | 55% | Chris Smith |
| 5th | 52% | 46% | Josh Gottheimer |
| 6th | 58% | 40% | Frank Pallone Jr. |
| 7th | 52% | 46% | Tom Malinowski |
| 8th | 74% | 24% | Albio Sires |
| 9th | 64% | 33% | Bill Pascrell |
| 10th | 85% | 13% | Donald Payne Jr. |
| 11th | 52% | 47% | Mikie Sherrill |
| 12th | 66% | 32% | Bonnie Watson Coleman |
See also
Notes
- General election write-in candidates have no barriers to, or deadlines for, qualification in New Jersey.
- Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear - "Someone else" with 2%; Undecided with 11%
- "Someone else" and "Neither" with 2%; would not vote with 1%; Undecided with 4%
- "Other" with 7%; Undecided with 3%
- "Someone else" with 5%; Undecided with 16%
- "Other" with 1%; "No one" with 0%; Undecided with 10%
- "Other" and "No one" with 0%; Undecided with 9%