# 2018 United States Senate 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 2018 United States Senate election in New Jersey took place on November 6, 2018, in order to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of New Jersey. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Bob Menendez won reelection to a third term over Republican businessman Bob Hugin, after the former's criminal trial ended in a mistrial.
The candidate filing deadline for Democratic and Republican candidates was April 2, 2018, and the primary election was held on June 5, 2018. The deadline for independent candidates was June 5, 2018. Despite the race being rated as a tossup by some political pundits, including The Cook Political Report, Menendez was reelected by an 11.2% margin. However, Hugin was the first Republican Senate candidate to carry Atlantic and Gloucester counties since 1972, and the first Republican to do so in this seat since 1970.
Menendez would be convicted of separate federal corruption charges in 2024, and would resign from the Senate.

## Democratic primary

While he never lost support from any major New Jersey officials, after a mistrial was declared in Senator Menendez's corruption trial, party figures across New Jersey lined up with public endorsements of his reelection bid, including the "full support" of Governor Phil Murphy. He formally declared his intention to run for reelection on March 28, 2018, alongside Governor Murphy and Senator Cory Booker.

### Candidates
#### Nominee

* Bob Menendez, incumbent U.S. senator

#### Eliminated in primary

* Lisa McCormick, activist and candidate for Union County Clerk in 2010

#### Withdrew

* Michael Starr Hopkins, attorney

#### Declined

* Rush D. Holt Jr., former U.S. representative
* Donald Norcross, U.S. representative
* Robert Torricelli, former U.S. senator

### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Bob Menendez (incumbent) | 262,477 | 62.28% |
| | Democratic | Lisa McCormick | 158,998 | 37.72% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 421,475 | 100% |

## Republican primary

Bob Hugin launched his primary campaign on February 13 in Springfield. He began advertising on television two weeks later, attacking Menendez on the airwaves, and was soon considered the presumptive nominee. His opponent, Brian Goldberg, attempted to connect himself to President Donald Trump and his supporters by inserting the president's abbreviated slogan, "MAGA", into his ballot slogans and aligning himself with other pro-Trump, anti-establishment candidates. Goldberg also attacked Hugin's running mates, urging Republicans to write in the deceased Charlton Heston in primary races where a Republican congressional candidate was running unopposed. Ultimately, Hugin won overwhelmingly with a majority of votes in each of the state's 21 counties.

### Candidates
#### Nominee

* Bob Hugin, businessman and former executive chairman of Celgene Corporation

#### Eliminated in primary

* Brian D. Goldberg, businessman and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2014

#### Withdrew

* Rich Pezzullo, businessman (endorsed Bob Hugin, running for NJ-6)
* Hirsh Singh, aerospace engineer and candidate for governor in 2017 (running for NJ-2)
* Dana Wefer, former chairwoman of the Hoboken Housing Authority and candidate for governor in 2017 (did not submit enough petition signatures)

#### Declined

* Jon Bramnick, Minority Leader of the New Jersey General Assembly (endorsed Hugin)
* Jack Ciattarelli, former state assemblyman and candidate for governor in 2017
* Michael J. Doherty, state senator
* Kim Guadagno, former lieutenant governor and nominee for governor in 2017
* Thomas Kean Jr., Minority Leader of the New Jersey Senate and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2006
* Joe Kyrillos, former state senator and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2012
* Tom MacArthur, U.S. representative (endorsed Hugin)
* Bill Spadea, radio and TV show host; nominee for NJ-12 in 2004
* Jerry Watson
* Jay Webber, state assemblyman and former chairman of the New Jersey Republican State Committee (running for NJ-11)

### Endorsements
#### U.S. executive branch officials

* Donald Trump, president of the United States

#### Governors

* Tom Kean, former governor of New Jersey
* Christine Todd Whitman, former governor of New Jersey

#### Lieutenant governors

* Kim Guadagno, former lieutenant governor of New Jersey and nominee for governor in 2017

#### U.S. representatives

* Mike Ferguson, NJ-7 (former)
* Jenniffer González, Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico
* Leonard Lance, NJ-7
* Tom MacArthur, NJ-3

#### NJ state legislators

* Jose Arango, former state assemblyman, chairman of the Hudson County Republican Party
* Jon Bramnick, state assemblyman and assembly minority leader
* Anthony Bucco, state senator
* Tony Bucco, state assemblyman
* Michael Patrick Carroll, state assemblyman
* Kristin Corrado, state senator
* BettyLou DeCroce, state assemblywoman
* Tom Kean Jr., state senator and senate Minority Leader
* Nancy Munoz, state assemblywoman
* Steve Oroho, state senator
* Holly Schepisi, state assemblywoman
* Parker Space, state assemblyman
* Harold J. Wirths, state assemblyman

#### Sheriffs

* James Gannon, Morris County

#### Mayors

* Carlos Rendo, mayor of Woodcliff Lake and nominee for lieutenant governor of New Jersey in 2017
* Doug Steinhardt, former mayor of Lopatcong Township and Chairman of the New Jersey Republican State Committee

#### Others

* Rolando Bobadilla, former Essex County Democratic freeholder
* Mark Dunec, 2014 Democratic nominee for New Jersey's 11th congressional district
* Jim Fozman, Brick councilman (Democrat)
* Tony Frato, Branchville mayor (Democrat)
* Bob Frazier, former Linden city councilman
* Richard Gerbounka, former Linden mayor
* Joe Harvanik, former Linden city councilman
* Richard Pezzullo, businessman and former candidate for U.S. Senate
* Teddy Price, candidate for Ocean County freeholder (Democrat)
* Richard Rutkowski, former Bayonne mayor (Democrat)
* Demetrius Terry, former executive vice president of the College Democrats of New Jersey
* Donald Trump Jr., businessman and son of U.S. President Donald Trump
* Lydia Valencia, president of the Puerto Rican Congress of New Jersey
* Mike Voll, former Middle Township mayor (Democrat)
* Jennifer Williams, first openly transgender delegate at the Republican National Convention

#### Organizations

* Latino Leadership Alliance of New Jersey

#### Newspapers

* Burlington County Times
* New York Post

### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Bob Hugin | 168,052 | 75.13% |
| | Republican | Brian Goldberg | 55,624 | 24.87% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 223,676 | 100% |

## Libertarian Party
### Candidates

* Murray Sabrin, Ramapo College finance professor, Anisfield School of Business

### Endorsements
#### U.S. representatives

* Ron Paul, former Congressman, presidential candidate in 2008 and 2012

## Green Party

* Madelyn R. Hoffman, peace activist and 1997 Green Party gubernatorial candidate

## Independents
### Candidates

* Tricia Flanagan (New Day NJ), consultant
* Kevin Kimple (Make it Simple), small business owner
* Natalie Rivera (For the People), social services coordinator
* Hank Schroeder (Economic Growth), perennial candidate

#### Withdrew

* Muhammad Usman

## General election
### Debates

* Complete video of debate, October 24, 2018

### Fundraising

Campaign finance reports as of October 17, 2018 :
| Candidate (party) | Total receipts | Total disbursements | Cash on hand |
| Bob Hugin (R) | $30,289,561 | $27,714,323 | $2,575,238 |
| Bob Menendez (D) | $11,631,183 | $11,225,693 | $1,832,385 |
| Source: Federal Election Commission ||||

### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| The Cook Political Report | Tossup | October 26, 2018 |
| Inside Elections | Likely D | November 1, 2018 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball | Likely D | November 5, 2018 |
| CNN | Lean D | October 1, 2018 |
| RealClearPolitics | Lean D | October 3, 2018 |
| Fox News | Lean D | October 30, 2018 |
^Highest rating given

### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Bob Menendez (D) | Bob Hugin (R) | Murray Sabrin (L) | Other | Undecided |
| Change Research | November 2–4, 2018 | 1,006 | – | 51% | 41% | – | – | – |
| Quinnipiac University | October 29 – November 4, 2018 | 1,115 | ± 4.0% | 55% | 40% | – | 1% | 4% |
| Stockton University | October 25–31, 2018 | 598 | ± 4.0% | 51% | 39% | 3% | 4% | 1% |
| Vox Populi Polling | October 27–29, 2018 | 814 | ± 3.4% | 54% | 46% | – | – | – |
| Emerson College | October 24–26, 2018 | 659 | ± 4.0% | 47% | 42% | – | 4% | 7% |
| Rutgers-Eagleton | October 12–19, 2018 | 496 LV | ± 5.1% | 51% | 46% | – | 1% | 2% |
| Rutgers-Eagleton | October 12–19, 2018 | 896 RV | ± 3.8% | 48% | 45% | – | 1% | 5% |
| Quinnipiac University | October 10–16, 2018 | 873 | ± 4.3% | 51% | 44% | – | 0% | 5% |
| Monmouth University | October 11–15, 2018 | 527 | ± 4.3% | 49% | 40% | 1% | 2% | 8% |
| National Research Inc. (R-Hugin) | October 6–9, 2018 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 42% | 40% | – | – | – |
| YouGov | October 2–5, 2018 | 845 | – | 49% | 39% | – | 4% | 8% |
| Quinnipiac University | September 25 – October 2, 2018 | 1,058 | ± 4.1% | 53% | 42% | – | 0% | 5% |
| Vox Populi Polling | September 29 – October 1, 2018 | 794 | ± 3.5% | 52% | 48% | – | – | – |
| Fairleigh Dickinson University | September 26–30, 2018 | 508 LV | ± 4.3% | 43% | 37% | – | 1% | 19% |
| Fairleigh Dickinson University | September 26–30, 2018 | 746 RV | ± 3.9% | 37% | 32% | – | 1% | 29% |
| Stockton University | September 19–27, 2018 | 531 | ± 4.3% | 45% | 43% | 3% | 5% | 2% |
| Quinnipiac University | August 15–20, 2018 | 908 | ± 4.6% | 43% | 37% | – | 2% | 16% |
| Gravis Marketing (L-Sabrin) | August 14–15, 2018 | 753 | ± 3.6% | 40% | 30% | 7% | – | 22% |
| Gravis Marketing | July 6–10, 2018 | 563 | ± 4.1% | 43% | 41% | – | – | 16% |
| Fairleigh Dickinson University | May 16–21, 2018 | 856 | ± 3.5% | 28% | 24% | – | 1% | 46% |
| Monmouth University | April 6–10, 2018 | 632 | ± 3.9% | 53% | 32% | – | 7% | 7% |
| Quinnipiac University | March 8–12, 2018 | 1,052 | ± 4.2% | 49% | 32% | – | 1% | 15% |
Kean vs. Andrews
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Rob Andrews (D) | Thomas Kean (R) | Undecided |
| Harper Polling | March 24–25, 2013 | 760 | ± 3.6% | 17% | 33% | 50% |
Codey vs. Kyrillos
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Richard Codey (D) | Joe Kyrillos (R) | Undecided |
| Harper Polling | March 24–25, 2013 | 760 | ± 3.6% | 34% | 25% | 41% |

### Results

United States Senate election in New Jersey, 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Bob Menendez (incumbent) | 1,711,654 | 54.01% | −4.86% |
| | Republican | Bob Hugin | 1,357,355 | 42.83% | +3.46% |
| | Green | Madelyn Hoffman | 25,150 | 0.79% | +0.32% |
| | Libertarian | Murray Sabrin | 21,212 | 0.67% | +0.17% |
| | Independent | Natalie Rivera | 19,897 | 0.63% | N/A |
| | Independent | Tricia Flanagan | 16,101 | 0.51% | N/A |
| | Independent | Kevin Kimple | 9,087 | 0.29% | N/A |
| | Independent | Hank Schroeder | 8,854 | 0.28% | N/A |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 3,169,310 | 100% | N/A |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

#### By county

By county :
| County | Menendez % | Menendez votes | Hugin % | Hugin votes | Other % | Other votes |
| Atlantic | 47.43% | 44,617 | 48.85% | 45,954 | 3.72% | 3,502 |
| Bergen | 54.69% | 188,235 | 42.54% | 146,406 | 2.77% | 9,542 |
| Burlington | 52.78% | 98,749 | 43.96% | 82,240 | 3.26% | 6,111 |
| Camden | 61.82% | 113,137 | 34.58% | 63,279 | 3.60% | 6,600 |
| Cape May | 35.78% | 14,555 | 61.02% | 24,823 | 3.20% | 1,299 |
| Cumberland | 48.29% | 19,386 | 47.93% | 19,244 | 3.78% | 1,517 |
| Essex | 76.52% | 194,068 | 21.12% | 53,537 | 2.36% | 6,028 |
| Gloucester | 46.41% | 52,303 | 49.77% | 56,090 | 3.82% | 4,309 |
| Hudson | 76.35% | 132,180 | 20.84% | 36,087 | 2.81% | 4,863 |
| Hunterdon | 39.29% | 24,823 | 57.17% | 36,116 | 3.54% | 2,195 |
| Mercer | 63.67% | 80,773 | 32.50% | 41,225 | 3.83% | 4,785 |
| Middlesex | 58.21% | 148,806 | 38.64% | 98,764 | 3.15% | 8,051 |
| Monmouth | 42.99% | 112,383 | 53.79% | 140,628 | 3.22% | 8,408 |
| Morris | 43.60% | 93,763 | 53.38% | 114,783 | 3.02% | 6,492 |
| Ocean | 33.72% | 75,597 | 63.29% | 141,902 | 2.99% | 6,723 |
| Passaic | 57.75% | 86,242 | 39.10% | 58,382 | 3.15% | 4,700 |
| Salem | 38.04% | 9,060 | 57.47% | 13,687 | 4.49% | 1,068 |
| Somerset | 51.67% | 70,359 | 45.07% | 61,373 | 3.26% | 4,450 |
| Sussex | 33.23% | 20,229 | 61.96% | 37,720 | 4.81% | 2,926 |
| Union | 64.22% | 117,937 | 33.09% | 60,758 | 2.69% | 4,938 |
| Warren | 35.59% | 14,452 | 60.00% | 24,357 | 4.41% | 1,794 |
| Total | 54.01% | 1,711,654 | 42.83% | 1,357,355 | 3.16% | 100,301 |
* Republican — >15%
* Republican — +12.5−15%
* Republican — +10−12.5%
* Republican — +7.5−10%
* Republican — +5−7.5%
* Republican — +2.5−5%
* Republican — +0−2.5%
* Democratic — +0−2.5%
* Democratic — +2.5−5%
* Democratic — +5−7.5%
* Democratic — +7.5-10%
* Democratic — +10−12.5%
* Democratic — +12.5−15%
* Democratic — >15%

#### By congressional district

Menendez won six of 12 congressional districts. Hugin, however, won the remaining six, including five won by Democrats.
| District | Menendez | Hugin | Representative |
| 1st | 58% | 38% | Donald Norcross |
| 2nd | 43% | 53% | Jeff Van Drew |
| 3rd | 44% | 52% | Andy Kim |
| 4th | 41% | 56% | Chris Smith |
| 5th | 47% | 50% | Josh Gottheimer |
| 6th | 56% | 41% | Frank Pallone |
| 7th | 46% | 51% | Tom Malinowski |
| 8th | 77% | 20% | Albio Sires |
| 9th | 64% | 33% | Bill Pascrell |
| 10th | 85% | 13% | Donald Payne Jr. |
| 11th | 47% | 50% | Mikie Sherrill |
| 12th | 63% | 34% | Bonnie Watson Coleman |