# 2013 United States Senate special election in New Jersey

Elections in New Jersey :
Federal government
U.S. President
1788-89
1792
1796
1800
1804
1808
1812
1816
1820
1824
1828
1832
1836
1840
1844
1848
1852
1856
1860
1864
1868
1872
1876
1880
1884
1888
1892
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
Dem
2008
Rep
Dem
2012
2016
Dem
2020
Dem
2024
Dem
Rep
U.S. Senate
1788
1790
1790 (sp)
1792
1796
1796 (sp)
1798
1799 (sp)
1801 (sp)
1803 (sp)
1804
1808
1809
1809 (sp)
1810
1815
1816 (sp)
1817
1820
1823
1823 (sp)
1826
1826 (sp)
1829
1829 (sp)
1833
1835
1839
1840
1845
1846
1851
1853 (sp)
1857
1858
1863 (sp)
1864
1866 (sp)
1867 (sp)
1869
1875
1877
1881
1883
1886
1889
1893
1895
1899
1901
1902 (sp)
1905
1907
1911
1913
1916
1918
1918 (sp)
1922
1924
1928
1930
1930 (sp)
1932 (sp)
1934
1936
1938 (sp)
1940
1942
1944 (sp)
1948
1954
1958
1960
1964
1966
1970
1972
1976
1978
1982
1984
1988
1990
1994
1996
2000
2002
2006
2008
2012
2013 (sp)
2014
2018
2020
2024
2026
U.S. House of Representatives
1789
1791
1792
1794
1795 (sp AL)
1797
1798
1800
1803
1804
1806
1808 (sp AL)
1808
1810 (sp AL)
1810
1814 (sp 3rd)
1813
1814
1816
1818
1820
1821 (sp AL)
1822
1824
1826
1828
1828 (sp AL)
1830
1832
1834
1836
1836
1838
1840
1842
1844
1846
1850
1852
1854
1856
1858
1860
1862
1864
1866
1868
1870
1872
1874
1876
1878
1880
1882
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1913 (sp 6th)
1914
1916
1920
1924
1926
1928
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1948
1950
1951 (sp 9th)
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1968
1972
1980
1984
1988
1988 (sp 3rd)
1990
1990 (sp 1st)
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2006
2006 (5th)
2006 (12th)
2008
2010
2012
2012 (sp 10th)
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
2024 (sp 10th)
2026 :
State government
General elections
2009
2010
2011
2013
2015
2017
2019
2021
2023
2025
Gubernatorial elections
1843
1844
1847
1850
1853
1856
1859
1862
1865
1868
1871
1874
1877
1880
1883
1886
1889
1892
1895
1898
1901
1904
1907
1910
1913
1916
1919
1922
1925
1928
1931
1934
1937
1940
1943
1946
1949
1953
1957
1961
1965
1969
1973
1977
1981
1985
1989
1993
1997
2001
2005
2009
2013
2017
2021
2025
Senate elections
1873
1957
1959
1961
1963
1965
1967
1971
1973
1977
1981
1983
1987
1991
1993
1997
2001
2003
2007
2011
2013
2017
2021
2023
General Assembly elections
1985
1987
1989
1991
2015
2017
2019
2021
2023
2025 :
Newark
Mayoral elections
1970
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022 :
Jersey City
Mayoral elections
2001
2004
2005
2009
2013
2017
2021
2025 :
Hoboken
Mayoral elections
2005
2017
2021
2025 :
Atlantic City
Mayoral elections
2017
2021 :
vte :
The 2013 United States Senate special election in New Jersey was held on October 16, 2013, to fill the New Jersey United States Senate Class 2 seat for the remainder of the term ending January 3, 2015. The vacancy resulted from the death of 5-term Democratic senator Frank Lautenberg on June 3, 2013. On June 4, 2013, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie announced that a primary election to fill the vacancy would take place on August 13, 2013, and that a special election would follow on October 16, 2013. Christie appointed Republican New Jersey Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa to the seat as a placeholder; Chiesa announced at the time of his appointment that he would not be a candidate in the special election.
The primary elections were won by Republican former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan and Democratic Newark Mayor Cory Booker. Booker defeated Lonegan on October 16, 2013, and became the first African-American elected to statewide office in New Jersey. 24.5% of registered voters cast ballots, making this the lowest voter turnout of any statewide election.

## Background

Democrats and Republicans interested in running in the special primary were given six days, until June 10, to collect 1,000 signatures in order to appear on the special primary ballots. Christie was criticized for spending millions of dollars to hold a separate election for Senate, despite the gubernatorial election already being scheduled for November. It was thought that Christie took this action to benefit himself politically, believing that likely Democratic nominee Cory Booker's presence on the ballot would inspire higher turnout from minority voters who would also vote for Christie's Democratic gubernatorial opponent, Barbara Buono.
On June 4, 2013, Christie appointed Republican Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa to fill the Senate vacancy, making him the first (federal) Republican Senator from the state since Nicholas F. Brady in 1982, who, ironically got succeeded by Lautenberg; Chiesa announced that he would not run in the special election.
On June 13, 2013, the Appellate Division of the New Jersey Superior Court unanimously rejected the Democrats' challenge, which was brought by Somerset County Democratic chairwoman Marguerite M. Schaffer, to force Christie to change the special election date in October to the general election on November 5. They ruled "the Legislature has delegated broad authority to the State's governor" to set the election date. On June 20, 2013, the New Jersey Supreme Court declined to hear a follow-up challenge to the special election date.
New Jersey Democratic state senator Shirley Turner of Lawrenceville introduced legislation to move the general election on November 5 for all statewide offices, including governor, to the same date, October 16, as the U.S. Senate special election. This legislation was introduced in order to avoid spending an additional $12 million for a separate U.S. Senate election in October in addition to the general statewide election in November. A bill, A4237, passed both legislative houses on June 27, 2013. Another bill, A4249, allowing eligible voters who cast ballots on October 16 for senator to also vote early for the November general election, finally passed both legislative houses on June 27. Both bills were sent to Governor Christie for approval or veto with little expectation that either would be signed by Christie into law. The governor vetoed both bills on September 9, 2013.
The Christie administration looked into contingency plan options for additional state workers, transportation resources, voting machines and associated hardware, and skilled voting machine technicians in order to avoid any potential conflicts due to the short time span of 20 days between the special election and the general election. Use of any of these options would increase the cost of $12 million for the October election, which would be in addition to $12 million for the August primary, that were both estimated by the New Jersey Office of Legislative Services. Contingency plans would be needed due to potential scheduling and logistical conflicts in the use of the same voting machines for both elections. New Jersey state law requires voting machines to be locked down for 15 days after an election, in case a defeated candidate seeks a recount. Voting machines would also need to be set up several days in advance of the general election. The state has made arrangements to reimburse by December 31, 2013, all necessary expenses after an audit of submitted election costs by each of the County Boards of Elections.

## Republican primary
### Candidates
#### Declared

* Alieta Eck, former president of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, founder of the Zarephath Health Center and health care reform advocate
* Steve Lonegan, former mayor of Bogota, former state director of Americans for Prosperity and candidate for governor in 2005 and 2009

#### Declined

* Jennifer Beck, state senator
* Jon Bramnick, Minority Leader of the New Jersey State Assembly
* Jeffrey Chiesa, incumbent U.S. senator
* Michael J. Doherty, state senator
* Thomas Kean Jr., Minority Leader of the New Jersey Senate and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2006
* Joe Kyrillos, state senator and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2012
* Leonard Lance, U.S. Representative
* Kevin J. O'Toole, state senator
* Geraldo Rivera, talk show host

### Endorsements

* Brian D. Levine, Mayor of Franklin Township
* Joseph Rudy Rullo, candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2012
* Thomas Booth, Camden County Republican Organization Chairman
* Michael Patrick Carroll, state assemblyman
* Jeff Chiesa, incumbent U.S. senator
* Chris Christie, Governor of New Jersey
* John DiMaio, state assemblyman
* Michael J. Doherty, state senator
* Michael Donohue, Cape May County Republican Organization Chairman
* Rodney Frelinghuysen, U.S. Representative (NJ-11)
* Scott Garrett, U.S. Representative (NJ-05)
* Henry Kuhl, Hunterdon County Republican Organization Chairman
* Leonard Lance, U.S. Representative (NJ-07)
* Frank LoBiondo, U.S. Representative (NJ-02)
* Phil Morin, Union County Republican Organization Chairman
* Ron Paul, former U.S Representative and candidate for President in 2008 and 2012
* Jon Runyan, U.S. Representative (NJ-3)
* John Sette, Morris County Republican Organization Chairman
* Chris Smith, U.S. Representative (NJ-04)
* Bob Yudin, Bergen County Republican Organization Chairman
* Eagle Forum

### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Alieta Eck | Steve Lonegan | Other | Undecided |
| Kean University | June 18, 2013 | 321 | ±?% | 15% | 45% | 12% | 29% |
| Quinnipiac | July 2–7, 2013 | 330 | ±5.4% | 5% | 62% | 1% | 32% |
| Quinnipiac | August 1–5, 2013 | 257 | ±6.1% | 10% | 74% | 3% | 13% |

### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Steve Lonegan | 103,280 | 80.09% |
| | Republican | Alieta Eck | 25,669 | 19.91% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 128,958 | 100.00% |

## Democratic primary
### Candidates
#### Declared

* Cory Booker, Mayor of Newark
* Rush Holt Jr., U.S. Representative
* Sheila Oliver, Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly
* Frank Pallone, U.S. Representative

#### Declined

* Rob Andrews, U.S. Representative
* Beth Mason, Hoboken City Councilwoman
* Stephen M. Sweeney, president of the New Jersey Senate

### Endorsements

Statewide endorsements
* Bill Bradley, former U.S. senator (NJ)
* Joseph DiVincenzo, Essex County Executive
* Beth Mason, Hoboken City Councilwoman
* George Norcross, businessman and Democratic fundraiser
* Jim Whelan, State Senator
National endorsements
* Mo Cowan, former U.S. senator (MA)
* Martin O'Malley, Governor of Maryland
* Ivanka Trump, Businesswoman and daughter of Donald Trump
* Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder of Facebook
* The New York Times
* The Philadelphia Inquirer
* Mercer County Democratic Committee
* Sussex County Democrats straw poll
* Vin Gopal, Chairman of the Monmouth County Democratic Committee

### Debates

* Complete video of debate, August 5, 2013 - C-SPAN

### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Cory Booker | Rush D. Holt Jr. | Sheila Oliver | Frank Pallone | Other | Undecided |
| Rutgers-Eagleton | June 3–9, 2013 | 364 | ±5.1% | 55% | 8% | — | 9% | — | 28% |
| Quinnipiac | June 7–9, 2013 | 306 | ±5.6% | 53% | 10% | — | 9% | 1% | 27% |
| Monmouth | June 10–11, 2013 | 205 | ±6.9% | 63% | 10% | 6% | 8% | — | 13% |
| Rasmussen | June 12–13, 2013 | 416 | ±5% | 54% | 11% | 5% | 8% | 3% | 18% |
| Kean University | June 18, 2013 | 366 | ±?% | 49% | 9% | 9% | 6% | 5% | 22% |
| Quinnipiac | July 2–7, 2013 | 400 | ±4.9% | 52% | 8% | 3% | 10% | 1% | 27% |
| Monmouth | July 11–14, 2013 | 403 | ±4.9% | 49% | 8% | 3% | 12% | — | 28% |
| Quinnipiac | August 1–5, 2013 | 388 | ±5% | 54% | 15% | 5% | 17% | 1% | 8% |

### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Cory Booker | 216,936 | 59.17% |
| | Democratic | Frank Pallone | 72,584 | 19.80% |
| | Democratic | Rush Holt Jr. | 61,463 | 16.76% |
| | Democratic | Sheila Oliver | 15,656 | 4.27% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 366,639 | 100.00% |

## Special election

Booker enjoyed advantages over Lonegan in fundraising and name recognition. However, he was scrutinized regarding "his personal finances and the terms of his departure from law firm Trenk DiPasquale; the viability of his video startup, Waywire, and the investors behind it; and his behavior on Twitter, including messages to an Oregon stripper". Booker "also drew criticism from the left over his progressive credentials." Booker painted Lonegan as a "tea-party extremist", while Lonegan questioned Booker's performance as Mayor of Newark.

### Candidates
#### Major party candidates

* Cory Booker (Democratic), Mayor of Newark
* Steve Lonegan (Republican), former mayor of Bogota, former state director of Americans for Prosperity and candidate for governor in 2005 and 2009

#### Other candidates

* Robert Depasquale, Independent
* Eugene M. LaVergne, D-R Party
* Stuart Meissner, Alimony Reform Now
* Pablo Olivera, Unity is Strength
* Antonio N. Sabas, Independent
* Edward C. Stackhouse Jr., Ed the Barber

### Debates

* Complete video of debate, October 9, 2013 - C-SPAN

### Fundraising

| Candidate (party) | Receipts | Disbursements | Cash on hand | Debt |
| Cory Booker (D) | $2,108,248 | $2,582,837 | $4,533,079 | $0 |
| Steve Lonegan (R) | $129,766 | $171,538 | $192,586 | $101,822 |
| Source: Federal Election Commission Reports through July 24, 2013 |||||

#### Top contributors

| Cory Booker | Contribution | Steve Lonegan | Contribution |
| Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan | $34,800 | Lance for Congress | $2,000 |
| Time Warner | $33,000 |
| Slate Path Capital | $23,400 |
| Loews Corporation | $20,000 |
| Cole, Schotz, Meisel, Forman & Leonard, PA | $19,050 |
| Lazard | $18,500 |
| Monness, Crespi, Hardt & Co Inc. | $15,600 |
| Walt Disney Company | $15,200 |
| Falcon Edge Capital | $15,000 |
| Harvest Partners | $15,000 |
| Source: OpenSecrets ||||

#### Top industries

| Cory Booker | Contribution | Steve Lonegan | Contribution |
| Financial Institutions | $314,500 | Candidate Committees | $5,000 |
| Lawyers/Law Firms | $156,725 | Republican/Conservative | $500 |
| Entertainment Industry | $131,000 | Misc Issues | $250 |
| Real Estate | $115,390 | Pro-Life Organizations | $250 |
| Business Services | $63,050 |
| Misc Finance | $62,850 |
| Retired | $54,700 |
| Non-Profit Organizations | $48,100 |
| Manufacturing & Distributing | $42,600 |
| Universities | $34,500 |
| Source: OpenSecrets ||||

### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Steve Lonegan (R) | Cory Booker (D) | Other | Undecided |
| Quinnipiac | June 7–9, 2013 | 858 | ±3.4% | 27% | 54% | — | 18% |
| Monmouth | June 10–11, 2013 | 560 | ±4.2% | 37% | 53% | — | 10% |
| Rasmussen | June 10–11, 2013 | 1,000 | ±3% | 33% | 50% | — | 17% |
| Quinnipiac | July 2–7, 2013 | 1,068 | ±3% | 30% | 53% | 1% | 16% |
| Quinnipiac | August 1–5, 2013 | 2,042 | ±2.2% | 29% | 54% | 1% | 16% |
| Monmouth | August 15–18, 2013 | 696 | ±3.7% | 38% | 54% | 2% | 5% |
| Fairleigh Dickinson University | August 21–27, 2013 | 700 | ±3.7% | 22% | 50% | 4% | 23% |
| Rutgers-Eagleton | September 3–9, 2013 | 462 | ±4.5% | 29% | 64% | 1% | 6% |
| Pulse Opinion Research | September 19, 2013 | 1,000 | ±? | 33% | 52% | 4% | 10% |
| Stockton Polling Institute | September 15–21, 2013 | 812 | ±3.4% | 32.3% | 58.4% | — | 9.1% |
| Quinnipiac | September 19–22, 2013 | 948 | ±3.2% | 41% | 53% | 1% | 6% |
| Monmouth | September 26–29, 2013 | 571 | ±4.1% | 40% | 53% | 3% | 4% |
| Fairleigh Dickinson University | September 30 – October 5, 2013 | 702 | ±3.7% | 29% | 45% | 3% | 23% |
| Rasmussen | October 7, 2013 | 1,000 | ±3% | 41% | 53% | 1% | 5% |
| Quinnipiac | October 5–7, 2013 | 899 | ±3.3% | 41% | 53% | 1% | 5% |
| Stockton Polling Institute | October 3–8, 2013 | 729 | ±3.6% | 39% | 50% | — | 11% |
| Monmouth | October 10–12, 2013 | 1,393 | ±2.6% | 42% | 52% | 2% | 4% |
| Rutgers-Eagleton | October 7–13, 2013 | 513 | ±4.3% | 36% | 58% | 3% | 3% |
| Harper Polling | October 13–14, 2013 | 778 | ±3.5% | 41% | 52% | 2% | 5% |
| Quinnipiac | October 10–14, 2013 | 1,696 | ±2.4% | 40% | 54% | — | 5% |
With Holt Jr.
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Steve Lonegan (R) | Rush D. Holt Jr. (D) | Other | Undecided |
| Quinnipiac | June 7–9, 2013 | 858 | ±3.4% | 31% | 36% | 1% | 32% |
| Monmouth | June 10–11, 2013 | 560 | ±4.2% | 41% | 44% | — | 15% |
| Quinnipiac | July 2–7, 2013 | 1,068 | ±3% | 36% | 37% | 3% | 24% |
With Oliver
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Steve Lonegan (R) | Sheila Oliver (D) | Other | Undecided |
| Monmouth | June 10–11, 2013 | 560 | ±4.2% | 42% | 44% | — | 14% |
| Quinnipiac | July 2–7, 2013 | 1,068 | ±3% | 37% | 35% | 3% | 16% |
With Pallone
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Steve Lonegan (R) | Frank Pallone (D) | Other | Undecided |
| Quinnipiac | June 7–9, 2013 | 858 | ±3.4% | 29% | 39% | 2% | 31% |
| Monmouth | June 10–11, 2013 | 560 | ±4.2% | 40% | 45% | — | 14% |
| Quinnipiac | July 2–7, 2013 | 1,068 | ±3% | 34% | 38% | 3% | 25% |

### Results

Booker defeated Lonegan on October 16, 2013. Booker resigned as Mayor of Newark on October 30, 2013 and was sworn in on October 31, 2013, as the junior U.S. senator from New Jersey.
United States Senate special election in New Jersey, 2013 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Cory Booker | 740,742 | 54.92% | −1.11% |
| | Republican | Steve Lonegan | 593,684 | 44.02% | +2.07% |
| | Independent | Edward C. Stackhouse Jr. | 5,138 | 0.38% | N/A |
| | Independent | Robert Depasquale | 3,137 | 0.23% | N/A |
| | Independent | Stuart Meissner | 2,051 | 0.15% | N/A |
| | Independent | Pablo Olivera | 1,530 | 0.11% | N/A |
| | Independent | Antonio Nico Sabas | 1,336 | 0.10% | N/A |
| | Independent | Eugene M. LaVergne | 1,041 | 0.08% | N/A |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,348,659 | 100.00% | N/A |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |

#### By county

By county :
| County | Booker % | Booker votes | Lonegan % | Lonegan votes | Other % | Other votes |
| Atlantic | 50.4% | 19,469 | 48.3% | 18,637 | 1.3% | 506 |
| Bergen | 56.8% | 82,526 | 42.4% | 61,622 | 0.8% | 1,266 |
| Burlington | 54.7% | 42,543 | 44.0% | 34,224 | 1.3% | 984 |
| Camden | 65.0% | 47,474 | 33.9% | 24,758 | 1.1% | 860 |
| Cape May | 39.9% | 7,080 | 58.8% | 10,432 | 1.3% | 244 |
| Cumberland | 51.1% | 8,069 | 47.5% | 7,496 | 1.4% | 217 |
| Essex | 77.8% | 92,384 | 21.0% | 24,929 | 1.2% | 1,460 |
| Gloucester | 49.7% | 21,240 | 48.9% | 20,871 | 1.4% | 613 |
| Hudson | 77.7% | 47,683 | 20.9% | 12,830 | 1.4% | 871 |
| Hunterdon | 37.5% | 10,781 | 61.3% | 17,593 | 1.2% | 345 |
| Mercer | 65.8% | 38,934 | 31.4% | 18,576 | 2.8% | 1,682 |
| Middlesex | 57.7% | 61,362 | 41.1% | 43,644 | 1.2% | 1,284 |
| Monmouth | 45.0% | 49,340 | 53.9% | 59,059 | 1.1% | 1,231 |
| Morris | 42.6% | 41,317 | 56.4% | 54,665 | 1.0% | 889 |
| Ocean | 34.6% | 36,665 | 64.4% | 68,166 | 1.0% | 1,050 |
| Passaic | 59.0% | 37,378 | 39.9% | 25,263 | 1.1% | 744 |
| Salem | 40.5% | 3,903 | 58.0% | 5,598 | 1.5% | 743 |
| Somerset | 48.9% | 28,539 | 50.2% | 29,304 | 0.9% | 578 |
| Sussex | 33.8% | 9,252 | 64.9% | 17,796 | 2.3% | 362 |
| Union | 63.7% | 48,991 | 35.3% | 27,152 | 1.0% | 785 |
| Warren | 34.0% | 5,812 | 64.8% | 11,069 | 1.2% | 211 |
| Total | 54.92% | 740,742 | 44.02% | 593,684 | 1.06% | 16,327 |

#### By congressional district

Booker won 6 of 12 congressional districts.
| District | Booker | Lonegan | Representative |
| 1st | 61.54% | 37.33% | Rob Andrews |
| 2nd | 45.7% | 53.1% | Frank LoBiondo |
| 3rd | 46.25% | 52.73% | Jon Runyan |
| 4th | 41.35% | 57.31% | Chris Smith |
| 5th | 49.0% | 50.25% | Scott Garrett |
| 6th | 55.97% | 42.93% | Frank Pallone Jr. |
| 7th | 43.81% | 55.31% | Leonard Lance |
| 8th | 78.1% | 20.46% | Albio Sires |
| 9th | 65.83% | 33.1% | Bill Pascrell |
| 10th | 86.23% | 12.63% | Donald Payne Jr. |
| 11th | 46.69% | 52.49% | Rodney Frelinghuysen |
| 12th | 64.8% | 34.15% | Rush Holt Jr. |