# 1987 New Jersey Senate election

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The 1987 New Jersey Senate election was held on November 3.
The election took place mid-way through the second term of Governor Thomas Kean. The elections were marked by extreme stability; only one seat, that of Peter P. Garibaldi, did not return its incumbent Senator. Multiple Senators were re-elected unopposed.

## Incumbents not running for re-election

Every incumbent Senator ran for re-election.

## Summary of results by State Senate district

| District | Incumbent | Party | Elected Senator | Party |
| 1st Legislative District | James R. Hurley | Rep | James R. Hurley | Rep |
| 2nd Legislative District | William Gormley | Rep | William Gormley | Rep |
| 3rd Legislative District | Raymond Zane | Dem | Raymond Zane | Dem |
| 4th Legislative District | Daniel Dalton | Dem | Daniel Dalton | Dem |
| 5th Legislative District | Walter Rand | Dem | Walter Rand | Dem |
| 6th Legislative District | Lee Laskin | Rep | Lee Laskin | Rep |
| 7th Legislative District | Catherine A. Costa | Dem | Catherine A. Costa | Dem |
| 8th Legislative District | C. William Haines | Rep | C. William Haines | Rep |
| 9th Legislative District | Leonard T. Connors | Rep | Leonard T. Connors | Rep |
| 10th Legislative District | John F. Russo | Dem | John F. Russo | Dem |
| 11th Legislative District | Frank Pallone | Dem | Frank Pallone | Dem |
| 12th Legislative District | S. Thomas Gagliano | Rep | S. Thomas Gagliano | Rep |
| 13th Legislative District | Richard Van Wagner | Dem | Richard Van Wagner | Dem |
| 14th Legislative District | Francis J. McManimon | Dem | Francis J. McManimon | Dem |
| 15th Legislative District | Gerald R. Stockman | Dem | Gerald R. Stockman | Dem |
| 16th Legislative District | John H. Ewing | Rep | John H. Ewing | Rep |
| 17th Legislative District | John A. Lynch Jr. | Dem | John A. Lynch Jr. | Dem |
| 18th Legislative District | Peter P. Garibaldi | Rep | Thomas H. Paterniti | Dem |
| 19th Legislative District | Laurence Weiss | Dem | Laurence Weiss | Dem |
| 20th Legislative District | Raymond Lesniak | Dem | Raymond Lesniak | Dem |
| 21st Legislative District | C. Louis Bassano | Rep | C. Louis Bassano | Rep |
| 22nd Legislative District | Donald DiFrancesco | Rep | Donald DiFrancesco | Rep |
| 23rd Legislative District | Dick Zimmer | Rep | Dick Zimmer | Rep |
| 24th Legislative District | Wayne Dumont | Rep | Wayne Dumont | Rep |
| 25th Legislative District | John H. Dorsey | Rep | John H. Dorsey | Rep |
| 26th Legislative District | Leanna Brown | Rep | Leanna Brown | Rep |
| 27th Legislative District | Richard Codey | Dem | Richard Codey | Dem |
| 28th Legislative District | Ronald Rice | Dem | Ronald Rice | Dem |
| 29th Legislative District | Wynona Lipman | Dem | Wynona Lipman | Dem |
| 30th Legislative District | Carmen Orechio | Dem | Carmen Orechio | Dem |
| 31st Legislative District | Edward T. O'Connor Jr. | Dem | Edward T. O'Connor Jr. | Dem |
| 32nd Legislative District | Thomas F. Cowan | Dem | Thomas F. Cowan | Dem |
| 33rd Legislative District | Christopher Jackman | Dem | Christopher Jackman | Dem |
| 34th Legislative District | Joseph Bubba | Rep | Joseph Bubba | Rep |
| 35th Legislative District | Frank X. Graves Jr. | Dem | Frank X. Graves Jr. | Dem |
| 36th Legislative District | Gabriel M. Ambrosio | Dem | Gabriel M. Ambrosio | Dem |
| 37th Legislative District | Matthew Feldman | Dem | Matthew Feldman | Dem |
| 38th Legislative District | Paul Contillo | Dem | Paul Contillo | Dem |
| 39th Legislative District | Gerald Cardinale | Rep | Gerald Cardinale | Rep |
| 40th Legislative District | Henry McNamara | Rep | Henry McNamara | Rep |
* ↑ Haines won a 1984 special election to complete the term of Jim Saxton, who resigned to take a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
* ↑ Zimmer won a March special election to complete the unexpired term of Senator Walter E. Foran, who died in December 1986.
* ↑ Rice won a special November 1986 election to complete the unexpired term of John P. Caufield, who died in August 1986.
* ↑ Ambrosio won a March special election to complete the unexpired term of Joseph Hirkala, who died in January.
* ↑ McNamara won a November 1985 special election to complete the unexpired term of Senator Garrett Hagedorn, who died in August 1985.

### Close races

Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:
* District 13, 2.0%
* District 36, 2.4%
* District 38, 5.2%
* District 25, 5.4%
* District 30, 5.9%
* District 1, 6.8%
* District 6, 6.4%
* District 21, 7.6%
* District 34, 7.8%

## District 1

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | James R. Hurley (incumbent) | 29,272 | 53.4% | 6.4 |
| | Democratic | Donald H. Rainear | 25,512 | 46.6% | 6.4 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 54,784 | 100.00% | |

## District 2

1987 general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | William Gormley (incumbent) | 30,665 | 73.4% | 16.6 |
| | Democratic | William J. Polistina | 11,119 | 26.6% | 14.4 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 41,784 | 100.00% | |

## District 3

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Raymond Zane (incumbent) | 32,720 | 63.0% | 0.0 |
| | Republican | John A. Ward | 19,224 | 37.0% | 0.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 51,944 | 100.00% | |

## District 4

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Daniel Dalton (incumbent) | 24,574 | 58.9% | 5.0 |
| | Republican | William F. Thomson | 17,148 | 41.1% | 5.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 41,722 | 100.00% | |

## District 5

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Walter Rand (incumbent) | 24,784 | 68.3% | 2.3 |
| | Republican | Mary Jo Tate | 11,477 | 31.7% | 2.3 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 36,261 | 100.00% | |

## District 6

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Lee B. Laskin (incumbent) | 31,162 | 53.2% | 10.1 |
| | Democratic | Maria Barnaby Greenwald | 27,444 | 46.8% | 10.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 58,606 | 100.00% | |

## District 7

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Catherine A. Costa (incumbent) | 27,244 | 63.4% | 0.3 |
| | Republican | James A. Bristow | 15,745 | 36.6% | 0.3 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 42,989 | 100.00% | |

## District 8

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | C. William Haines (incumbent) | 28,731 | 66.5% | 5.2 |
| | Democratic | James B. Smith | 14,444 | 33.5% | 5.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 43,175 | 100.00% | |

## District 9

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Leonard T. Connors (incumbent) | 35,456 | 64.0% | 0.7 |
| | Democratic | Joan M. Tredy | 19,964 | 36.0% | 0.7 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 55,420 | 100.00% | |

## District 10

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | John F. Russo (incumbent) | 30,655 | 58.4% | 4.9 |
| | Republican | Tom Blomquist | 21,876 | 41.6% | 4.9 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 52,531 | 100.00% | |

## District 11

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Frank Pallone (incumbent) | 28,223 | 60.1% | 9.7 |
| | Republican | Gerri Chappell Popkin | 18,751 | 39.9% | 8.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 46,974 | 100.00% | |

## District 12

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | S. Thomas Gagliano (incumbent) | 31,188 | 67.6% | 16.7 |
| | Democratic | Bernard B. Finan | 14,965 | 32.4% | 16.7 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 46,153 | 100.00% | |

## District 13

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Richard Van Wagner (incumbent) | 24,155 | 51.0% | 3.1 |
| | Republican | Joseph Azzolina | 23,244 | 49.0% | 3.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 47,399 | 100.00% | |

## District 14

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Francis J. McManimon (incumbent) | 30,873 | 64.2% | 0.7 |
| | Republican | Michael S. Richmond | 17,222 | 35.8% | 0.7 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 48,095 | 100.00% | |

## District 15

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Gerald R. Stockman (incumbent) | 29,747 | 71.0% | 3.7 |
| | Republican | Norbert E. Donelly | 12,132 | 29.0% | 3.7 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 41,879 | 100.00% | |

## District 16

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | John H. Ewing (incumbent) | 28,433 | 70.7% | 3.3 |
| | Democratic | Frank M. Reskin | 11,764 | 29.3% | 3.3 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 40,197 | 100.00% | |

## District 17

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | John A. Lynch Jr. (incumbent) | 18,585 | 63.4% | 1.9 |
| | Republican | James J. Spera | 10,729 | 36.6% | 1.9 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 29,314 | 100.00% | |

## District 18

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Thomas H. Paterniti | 30,790 | 59.2% | 12.5 |
| | Republican | Peter P. Garibaldi (incumbent) | 21,253 | 40.8% | 7.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 52,043 | 100.00% | |

## District 19

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Laurence S. Weiss (incumbent) | 25,997 | 58.3% | 0.7 |
| | Republican | John G. O’Sullivan | 18,570 | 41.7% | 0.7 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 44,567 | 100.00% | |

## District 20

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Raymond Lesniak (incumbent) | 23,183 | 100.00% | 35.5 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 23,183 | 100.00% | |

## District 21

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | C. Louis Bassano (incumbent) | 28,663 | 53.8% | 3.3 |
| | Democratic | Anthony E. Russo | 24,656 | 46.2% | 3.3 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 53,319 | 100.00% | |

## District 22

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Donald DiFrancesco (incumbent) | 27,502 | 67.5% | 0.9 |
| | Democratic | Thomas J. Gartland | 13,267 | 32.5% | 0.9 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 40,769 | 100.00% | |

## District 23

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Dick Zimmer (incumbent) | 27,699 | 100.00% | 19.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 27,699 | 100.00% | |

## District 24

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Wayne Dumont | 34,617 | 100.0% | 24.4 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 34,617 | 100.00% | |

## District 25

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | John H. Dorsey (incumbent) | 20,463 | 52.7% | 12.7 |
| | Democratic | Gordon MacInnes | 18,381 | 47.3% | 12.7 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 38,844 | 100.00% | |

## District 26

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Leanna Brown (incumbent) | 25,260 | 74.1% | 5.9 |
| | Democratic | Helen Litwin | 8,839 | 25.9% | 5.9 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 34,099 | 100.00% | |

## District 27

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Richard Codey (incumbent) | 17,064 | 76.4% | 1.2 |
| | Republican | Felix (Phil) Graziano | 5,270 | 23.6% | 1.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 22,334 | 100.00% | |

## District 28

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Ronald Rice (incumbent) | 10,327 | 77.3% | 3.2 |
| | Republican | Michael J. Volk | 3,040 | 22.7% | 11.5 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 13,367 | 100.00% | |

## District 29

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Wynona M. Lipman (incumbent) | 10,678 | 100.0% | 14.5 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 10,678 | 100.00% | |

## District 30

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Carmen A. Orechio (incumbent) | 20,949 | 50.1% | 3.7 |
| | Republican | Thomas P. Zampino | 18,455 | 44.2% | 0.0 |
| | Independent | John W. Kinder | 2,371 | 5.7% | N/A |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 41,775 | 100.00% | |

## District 31

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Edward T. O'Connor Jr. (incumbent) | 22,980 | 78.1% | 2.6 |
| | Republican | William V. Connelly | 6,437 | 21.9% | 2.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 29,417 | 100.00% | |

## District 32

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Thomas F. Cowan (incumbent) | 27,065 | 66.4% | 2.6 |
| | Republican | Charles J. Catrillo | 13,241 | 32.5% | 0.1 |
| | Politicians Are Crooks | Herbert H. Shaw | 451 | 1.1% | 2.5 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 40,757 | 100.00% | |

## District 33

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Christopher Jackman (incumbent) | 19,944 | 60.6% | 5.9 |
| | Republican | Ronald Dario | 12,668 | 38.5% | 5.0 |
| | "Pride-Responsibility" | Hector Morales | 282 | 0.9% | N/A |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 32,894 | 100.00% | |

## District 34

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Joseph Bubba (incumbent) | 24,622 | 53.9% | 2.9 |
| | Democratic | Donald P. Hetchka | 21,053 | 46.1% | 2.9 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 45,675 | 100.00% | |

## District 35

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Frank X. Graves Jr. (incumbent) | 21,793 | 100.00% | 25.7 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 21,793 | 100.00% | |

## District 36

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Gabriel M. Ambrosio (incumbent) | 22,746 | 51.2% | 8.4 |
| | Republican | Kathleen A. Donovan | 21,716 | 48.8% | 8.4 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 44,462 | 100.00% | |

## District 37

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Matthew Feldman (incumbent) | 31,342 | 66.6% | 2.3 |
| | Republican | Shel Haas | 15,731 | 33.4% | 2.3 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 47,073 | 100.00% | |

## District 38

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Paul Contillo (incumbent) | 23,574 | 52.6% | 1.9 |
| | Republican | Louis F. Kosco | 21,206 | 47.4% | 1.9 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 44,780 | 100.00% | |

## District 39

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Gerald Cardinale (incumbent) | 31,585 | 67.1% | 15.9 |
| | Democratic | Louis B. Redisch | 15,499 | 32.9% | 15.9 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 47,084 | 100.00% | |

## District 40

New Jersey general election, 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Henry McNamara | 29,365 | 71.9% | 3.2 |
| | Democratic | Terry R. Driller | 11,453 | 28.1% | 3.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 40,818 | 100.00% | |