New Jersey
13 seats: 6R, 7D D 55 
Democrats in 1998 turned a sharp rise in their projected performance in all 13
districts into gaining a majority of House seats, with Rush Holt being one of
the few challengers around the nation to defeat an incumbent. They could gain an
additional seat in Bob Franks' open seat race in 2000. Still, a majority of
elections likely will again be lopsided. This general lack of competition is no surprise, given that the
state's redistricting commission openly sought to ensure that the major parties won a
roughly proportionate share of seats � doing so in a
winner-take-all system is only possible by creating mostly non-competitive districts. The
Democratic rise, however, has made several Republican-held districts more
competitive. Seats held by Christopher Smith, James Saxton and Frank LoBiondo
would be toss-ups if incumbents were to step down. The Democratic tide also
helped shield Frank Pallone from a multi-millionaire dollar blitz against him in
1998. It has not translated into state races; Republicans control the
governor's mansion and both houses of the legislature.
| 1. Robert Andrews (D), 1990 |
Landslide |
| |
'98: 73 |
'96: 76 |
'94: 72 |
'92: 67 |
|
D 60 |
| |
| 2. Frank LoBiondo (R), |
Comfortable* |
| |
'98: 66 |
'96: 60 |
'94: 65 |
['92: D 56] |
|
D 51 |
| |
| 3. James Saxton (R), 1984 |
Comfortable* |
| |
'98: 62 |
'96: 64 |
'94: 66 |
'92: 59 |
|
D 51 |
| |
| 4. Christopher Smith (R), 1980 |
Comfortable* |
| |
'98: 62 |
'96: 64 |
'94: 68 |
'92: 62 |
|
D 52 |
| |
| 5. Marge Roukema (R), 1980 |
Landslide |
| |
'98: 64 |
'96: 71 |
'94: 74 |
'92: 72 |
 |
R 56 |
| |
| 6. Frank Pallone (D), 1988 |
Comfortable |
| |
'98: 57 |
'96: 61 |
'94: 60 |
'92: 52 |
|
D 56 |
| |
| 7. OPEN [Bob Franks, R, 1992] |
Vulnerable |
| |
['98: 53 |
'96: 55 |
'94: 60 |
'92: 53] |
|
D 52 |
| |
| 8. Bill Pascrell Jr. (D), 1996 |
Comfortable |
| |
'98: 62 |
'96: 51 |
['94: R 50 |
'92: D 47] |
|
D 59 |
| |
| 9. Steve Rothman (D), 1996 |
Landslide |
| |
'98: 65 |
'96: 56 |
['94: D 63 |
'92: D 58] |
|
D 61 |
| |
| 10. Donald Payne (D), 1988 |
Landslide |
| |
'98: 84 |
'96: 84 |
'94: 76 |
'92: 78 |
|
D 83 |
| |
| 11. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R), |
Landslide |
| |
'98: 68 |
'96: 66 |
'94: 71 |
['92: R 70] |
|
R 57 |
| |
| 12. Rush Holt (D), 1998 |
Vulnerable |
| |
'98: 50 |
['96: R 50 |
'94: R 68 |
'92: R 64] |
|
R 51 |
| |
| 13. Robert Menendez (D), 1992 |
Landslide |
| |
'98: 80 |
'96: 79 |
'94: 71 |
'92: 64 |
|
D 72 |
New Jersey's results 1982 to 1998
Facts in Focus for New Jersey 1982 to 1998
|
