# New Jersey's 5th congressional district

New Jersey's 5th congressional district is represented by Democrat Josh Gottheimer, who has served in Congress since 2017. The district stretches across the entire northern border of the state and contains most of Bergen County, as well as parts of Passaic County and Sussex County.
Historically, most of the areas in the district have generally been favorable for Republicans. This is especially true of the western portion, which contains some of the most Republican areas in the Northeast. However, Bergen County has trended Democratic in recent elections, though not as overwhelmingly as in the more urbanized southern portion of Bergen County, this latter portion being in the ninth congressional district. Partly due to a strong performance in Bergen County, Josh Gottheimer unseated 14-year Republican incumbent Scott Garrett in 2016. This made Garrett the only one of the state's 12 incumbents to lose reelection that year and marked the first time a Democrat won this seat since 1930.
Since redistricting in the early 1990s, this congressional district has been L-shaped, comprising the rural northern and western parts of New Jersey along with parts of Passaic and Bergen County. After redistricting in late 2021, which was based on the 2020 census, the 5th lost all of its towns in Warren County. It also contains less of Sussex County and includes more of eastern Bergen County than was the case during the 2010s, making the district somewhat more Democratic.

## Counties and municipalities in the district

For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 United States census), the district contains all or portions of three counties and 65 municipalities.

### Bergen County (47)

    Allendale, Alpine, Bergenfield, Bogota, Closter, Cresskill, Demarest, Dumont, Emerson, Englewood, Englewood Cliffs, Fair Lawn, Fort Lee, Glen Rock, Hackensack, Harrington Park, Haworth, Hillsdale, Ho-Ho-Kus, Leonia, Mahwah, Maywood (part; also 9th), Midland Park, Montvale, New Milford, Northvale, Norwood, Old Tappan, Oradell, Palisades Park, Paramus, Park Ridge, Ramsey, Ridgefield Park, Ridgewood, River Edge, River Vale, Rockleigh, Saddle River, Teaneck, Tenafly, Upper Saddle River, Waldwick, Washington Township, Westwood, Woodcliff Lake, Wyckoff

### Passaic County (4)

    Bloomingdale, Ringwood, Wanaque, West Milford

### Sussex County (14)

    Andover Township, Branchville, Frankford Township, Franklin, Hamburg, Hampton Township, Hardyston Township, Lafayette Township, Montague Township, Newton, Sandyston Township, Sussex, Vernon Township, Wantage Township

## Recent election results from statewide races

| Year | Office | Results |
| 2008 | President | Obama 52% - 47% |
| 2012 | President | Obama 52% - 48% |
| 2016 | President | Clinton 52% - 45% |
| 2017 | Governor | Murphy 53% - 45% |
| 2018 | Senate | Menendez 52% - 46% |
| 2020 | President | Biden 56% - 43% |
| 2020 | Senate | Booker 55% - 43% |
| 2021 | Governor | Murphy 50% - 49% |
| 2024 | President | Harris 50% - 48% |
| 2024 | Senate | Kim 51% - 47% |

## List of members representing the district

District organized from New Jersey's at-large congressional district.
| Member (District home) | Party | Years | Cong ress | Electoral history | Counties/Towns |
| District established March 4, 1799 ||||||
| Franklin Davenport (Woodbury) | Federalist | March 4, 1799 – March 3, 1801 | 6th | Elected in 1798. Redistricted to the at-large district and lost re-election. | Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem |
| District dissolved March 3, 1801 ||||||
| District re-established March 4, 1843 ||||||
| William Wright (Newark) | Whig | March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1847 | 28th 29th | Elected in 1842. Re-elected in 1844. Retired to run for governor. | Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Passaic |
| Dudley S. Gregory (Jersey City) | Whig | March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1849 | 30th | Elected in 1846. Retired. | Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Passaic |
| James G. King (Hoboken) | Whig | March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1851 | 31st | Elected in 1848. Retired. | Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Passaic |
| Rodman M. Price (Hoboken) | Democratic | March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1853 | 32nd | Elected in 1850. Lost re-election. | Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Passaic |
| Alexander C. M. Pennington (Newark) | Whig | March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855 | 33rd 34th | Elected in 1852. Re-elected in 1854. Retired. | 1853–1863 Essex and Hudson |
| Alexander C. M. Pennington (Newark) | Opposition | March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857 | 33rd 34th | Elected in 1852. Re-elected in 1854. Retired. | 1853–1863 Essex and Hudson |
| Jacob R. Wortendyke (Jersey City) | Democratic | March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1859 | 35th | Elected in 1856. Lost re-election. | Essex, Hudson, and Union (Union County formed from Essex (1857)) |
| William Pennington (Newark) | Republican | March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1861 | 36th | Elected in 1858. Lost re-election. | Essex, Hudson, and Union (Union County formed from Essex (1857)) |
| Nehemiah Perry (Newark) | Democratic | March 4, 1861 – March 3, 1865 | 37th 38th | Elected in 1860. Re-elected in 1862. Retired. | Essex, Hudson, and Union (Union County formed from Essex (1857)) |
| Nehemiah Perry (Newark) | Democratic | March 4, 1861 – March 3, 1865 | 37th 38th | Elected in 1860. Re-elected in 1862. Retired. | 1863–1873 Hudson County and Newark |
| Edwin R.V. Wright (Hudson City) | Democratic | March 4, 1865 – March 3, 1867 | 39th | Elected in 1864. Retired. | 1863–1873 Hudson County and Newark |
| George A. Halsey (Newark) | Republican | March 4, 1867 – March 3, 1869 | 40th | Elected in 1866. Lost re-election. | 1863–1873 Hudson County and Newark |
| Orestes Cleveland (Jersey City) | Democratic | March 4, 1869 – March 3, 1871 | 41st | Elected in 1868. Lost re-election. | 1863–1873 Hudson County and Newark |
| George A. Halsey (Newark) | Republican | March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1873 | 42nd | Elected in 1870. Retired. | 1863–1873 Hudson County and Newark |
| William W. Phelps (Englewood) | Republican | March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1875 | 43rd | Elected in 1872. Lost re-election. | Bergen, Morris, and Passaic |
| Augustus W. Cutler (Morristown) | Democratic | March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1879 | 44th 45th | Elected in 1874. Re-elected in 1876. Retired. | Bergen, Morris, and Passaic |
| Charles H. Voorhis (Hackensack) | Republican | March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1881 | 46th | Elected in 1878. Retired. | Bergen, Morris, and Passaic |
| John Hill (Boonton) | Republican | March 4, 1881 – March 3, 1883 | 47th | Elected in 1880. Retired. | Bergen, Morris, and Passaic |
| William W. Phelps (Englewood) | Republican | March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1889 | 48th 49th 50th | Elected in 1882. Re-elected in 1884. Re-elected in 1886. Retired. | Bergen, Morris, and Passaic |
| Charles D. Beckwith (Paterson) | Republican | March 4, 1889 – March 3, 1891 | 51st | Elected in 1888. Lost re-election. | Bergen, Morris, and Passaic |
| Cornelius A. Cadmus (Paterson) | Democratic | March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1895 | 52nd 53rd | Elected in 1890. Re-elected in 1892. Retired. | Bergen, Morris, and Passaic |
| Cornelius A. Cadmus (Paterson) | Democratic | March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1895 | 52nd 53rd | Elected in 1890. Re-elected in 1892. Retired. | Bergen and Passaic |
| James F. Stewart (Paterson) | Republican | March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1903 | 54th 55th 56th 57th | Elected in 1894. Re-elected in 1896. Re-elected in 1898. Re-elected in 1900. Lost re-election. | Bergen and Passaic |
| Charles N. Fowler (Elizabeth) | Republican | March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1911 | 58th 59th 60th 61st | Redistricted from the 8th district and re-elected in 1902. Re-elected in 1904. Re-elected in 1906. Re-elected in 1908. Retired to run for U.S. senator. | Morris, Union, and Warren |
| William E. Tuttle Jr. (Westfield) | Democratic | March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1915 | 62nd 63rd | Elected in 1910. Re-elected in 1912. Lost re-election. | Morris, Union, and Warren |
| William E. Tuttle Jr. (Westfield) | Democratic | March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1915 | 62nd 63rd | Elected in 1910. Re-elected in 1912. Lost re-election. | Morris and Union |
| John H. Capstick (Montville) | Republican | March 4, 1915 – March 17, 1918 | 64th 65th | Elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1916. Died. | Morris and Union |
| Vacant | Vacant | March 17, 1918 – November 5, 1918 | | | Morris and Union |
| William F. Birch (Dover) | Republican | November 5, 1918 – March 3, 1919 | 65th | Elected to finish Capstick's term. Retired. | Morris and Union |
| Ernest R. Ackerman (Plainfield) | Republican | March 4, 1919 – October 18, 1931 | 66th 67th 68th 69th 70th 71st 72nd | Elected in 1918. Re-elected in 1920. Re-elected in 1922. Re-elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Re-elected in 1928. Re-elected in 1930. Died. | Morris and Union |
| Vacant | Vacant | October 18, 1931 – December 1, 1931 | | | Morris and Union |
| Percy Hamilton Stewart (Plainfield) | Democratic | December 1, 1931 – March 3, 1933 | 72nd | Elected to finish Ackerman's term. Retired to run for U.S. senator. | Morris and Union |
| Charles A. Eaton (Watchung) | Republican | March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1953 | 73rd 74th 75th 76th 77th 78th 79th 80th 81st 82nd | Redistricted from the 4th district and re-elected in 1932. Re-elected in 1934. Re-elected in 1936. Re-elected in 1938. Re-elected in 1940. Re-elected in 1942. Re-elected in 1944. Re-elected in 1946. Re-elected in 1948. Re-elected in 1950. Retired. | Morris, Somerset, and part of Middlesex (north of Raritan River) |
| Peter Frelinghuysen Jr. (Morristown) | Republican | January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1975 | 83rd 84th 85th 86th 87th 88th 89th 90th 91st 92nd 93rd | Elected in 1952. Re-elected in 1954. Re-elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. Re-elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964. Re-elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Re-elected in 1972. Retired. | Morris, Somerset, and part of Middlesex (north of Raritan River) |
| Peter Frelinghuysen Jr. (Morristown) | Republican | January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1975 | 83rd 84th 85th 86th 87th 88th 89th 90th 91st 92nd 93rd | Elected in 1952. Re-elected in 1954. Re-elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. Re-elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964. Re-elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Re-elected in 1972. Retired. | Morris and Somerset (Northern Middlesex removed to the new 15th District (1962)) |
| Peter Frelinghuysen Jr. (Morristown) | Republican | January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1975 | 83rd 84th 85th 86th 87th 88th 89th 90th 91st 92nd 93rd | Elected in 1952. Re-elected in 1954. Re-elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. Re-elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964. Re-elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Re-elected in 1972. Retired. | District no longer follows county lines |
| Millicent Fenwick (Bernardsville) | Republican | January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1983 | 94th 95th 96th 97th | Elected in 1974. Re-elected in 1976. Re-elected in 1978. Re-elected in 1980. Redistricted to the 12th district and retired to run for U.S. Senator. | Somerset, parts of Morris, and parts of Mercer (Princeton Township, Princeton Borough and West Windsor) |
| Marge Roukema (Ridgewood) | Republican | January 3, 1983 – January 3, 2003 | 98th 99th 100th 101st 102nd 103rd 104th 105th 106th 107th | Redistricted from 7th district and re-elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Re-elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Retired. | Parts of Bergen, Hunterdon, Mercer (Hopewell Township, Hopewell Borough, and Pennington), Morris, Passaic, Sussex, and Warren |
| Marge Roukema (Ridgewood) | Republican | January 3, 1983 – January 3, 2003 | 98th 99th 100th 101st 102nd 103rd 104th 105th 106th 107th | Redistricted from 7th district and re-elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Re-elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Retired. | Sussex (excluding Byram and Green) and northern parts of Bergen and Passaic |
| Marge Roukema (Ridgewood) | Republican | January 3, 1983 – January 3, 2003 | 98th 99th 100th 101st 102nd 103rd 104th 105th 106th 107th | Redistricted from 7th district and re-elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Re-elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Retired. | [data missing] |
| Scott Garrett (Wantage) | Republican | January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2017 | 108th 109th 110th 111th 112th 113th 114th | Elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Lost re-election. | 2003–2013: Warren, parts of Bergen, Passaic, and Sussex |
| Scott Garrett (Wantage) | Republican | January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2017 | 108th 109th 110th 111th 112th 113th 114th | Elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Lost re-election. | 2013–2023: Parts of Bergen, Passaic, Sussex, and Warren |
| Josh Gottheimer (Wyckoff) | Democratic | January 3, 2017 – present | 115th 116th 117th 118th 119th | Elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024. | 2013–2023: Parts of Bergen, Passaic, Sussex, and Warren |
| Josh Gottheimer (Wyckoff) | Democratic | January 3, 2017 – present | 115th 116th 117th 118th 119th | Elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024. | 2023–present: Parts of Bergen, Passaic, and Sussex |

## Recent election results
### 2012

New Jersey's 5th congressional district, 2012 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Scott Garrett (incumbent) | 167,501 | 55.0 |
| | Democratic | Adam Gussen | 130,100 | 42.8 |
| | Green | Patricia Alessandrini | 6,770 | 2.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 304,371 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2014

New Jersey's 5th congressional district, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Scott Garrett (incumbent) | 104,678 | 55.4 |
| | Democratic | Roy Cho | 81,808 | 43.3 |
| | Independent | Mark D Quick | 2,435 | 1.3 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 188,921 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2016

New Jersey's 5th congressional district, 2016 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Josh Gottheimer | 172,587 | 51.1 |
| | Republican | Scott Garrett (incumbent) | 157,690 | 46.7 |
| | Libertarian | Claudio Belusic | 7,424 | 2.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 337,701 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |

### 2018

New Jersey's 5th congressional district, 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Josh Gottheimer (incumbent) | 169,546 | 56.2 |
| | Republican | John J. McCann | 128,255 | 42.5 |
| | Libertarian | James Tosone | 2,115 | 0.7 |
| | Independent | Wendy Goetz | 1,907 | 0.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 301,823 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2020

New Jersey's 5th congressional district, 2020 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Josh Gottheimer (incumbent) | 225,175 | 53.2 |
| | Republican | Frank Pallotta | 193,333 | 45.6 |
| | Independent | Louis Vellucci | 5,128 | 1.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 423,636 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2022

New Jersey's 5th congressional district, 2022 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Josh Gottheimer (incumbent) | 145,559 | 54.7 |
| | Republican | Frank Pallotta | 117,873 | 44.3 |
| | Libertarian | Jeremy Marcus | 1,193 | 0.5 |
| | Independent | Trevor Ferrigno | 700 | 0.3 |
| | Independent | Louis Vellucci | 618 | 0.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 265,943 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |