Colonel William A. Phillips

The 2001 New Jersey State Senate elections were held on November 6.

The election took place alongside Jim McGreevey's landslide election as Governor of New Jersey and were held in the immediate aftermath of the September 11 attacks, which killed 750 New Jerseyans^[1] and impacted many others. Under a newly redrawn map, Democrats gained five seats to split control of the Senate evenly. A power-sharing agreement was reached with John O. Bennett and Richard Codey as co-presidents of the Senate.

This is the last time Democrats did not win an outright majority of New Jersey State Senate seats, as well as the last time any Senate in North Jersey changed parties.

Background

Redistricting

1992–02

2002–2012

New Jersey Legislature before (left) and after (right) the 2001 redistricting

As required, the New Jersey legislature redistricted its state legislative districts in advance of the 2001 election. Most Senators remained in their existing districts, though Senator Kevin J. O'Toole was redistricted to the 40th district and chose not to challenge.

The new map was based on a revised Democratic map chosen by Professor Larry Bartels of Princeton University, the non-partisan member of the reapportionment commission.^[2]

Republicans challenged the district map under the Voting Rights Act of 1965, arguing that by shifting some African-American and Hispanic voters out of three predominantly minority districts in and around Newark and spreading them to other, mostly white districts, the plan diluted minority voting strength. The case was rejected by the U.S. Court for the District of New Jersey.^[2] The Republican suit was dismissed partly under the influence of the near-unanimous support of New Jersey's incumbent minority legislators for the Democratic claim that their map would result in more minority representation, rather than less.^[2]

Incumbents not running for re-election

Democratic

John A. Lynch Jr. (District 17)

Republican

Jack Sinagra (District 18) (resigned October 23)
Kevin O'Toole (District 21) (redistricted into District 40; ran for Assembly)
Donald DiFrancesco (District 22) (ran for Governor)
William E. Schluter (District 23) (redistricted into District 15; ran for Governor as an Independent)

Summary of results by State Senate district

District	Incumbent		Elected Senator
1st Legislative District	James Cafiero	Rep	James Cafiero	Rep
2nd Legislative District	William Gormley	Rep	William Gormley	Rep
3rd Legislative District	Raymond Zane	Rep^[a]	Steve Sweeney	Dem
4th Legislative District	John Matheussen	Rep	John Matheussen	Rep
5th Legislative District	Wayne R. Bryant	Dem	Wayne R. Bryant	Dem
6th Legislative District	John Adler	Dem	John Adler	Dem
7th Legislative District	Diane Allen	Rep	Diane Allen	Rep
8th Legislative District	Martha W. Bark	Rep	Martha W. Bark	Rep
9th Legislative District	Leonard T. Connors	Rep	Leonard T. Connors	Rep
10th Legislative District	Andrew R. Ciesla	Rep	Andrew R. Ciesla	Rep
11th Legislative District	Joseph A. Palaia	Rep	Joseph A. Palaia	Rep
12th Legislative District	John O. Bennett	Rep	John O. Bennett	Rep
13th Legislative District	Joe Kyrillos	Rep	Joe Kyrillos	Rep
14th Legislative District	Peter Inverso	Rep	Peter Inverso	Rep
15th Legislative District	Shirley Turner	Dem	Shirley Turner	Dem
16th Legislative District	Walter J. Kavanaugh	Rep	Walter J. Kavanaugh	Rep
17th Legislative District	John A. Lynch Jr.	Dem	Bob Smith	Dem
18th Legislative District	Vacant^[b]		Barbara Buono	Dem
19th Legislative District	Joe Vitale	Dem	Joe Vitale	Dem
20th Legislative District	Raymond Lesniak	Dem	Raymond Lesniak	Dem
21st Legislative District	Kevin O'Toole^[c]^[d]	Rep	Richard Bagger	Rep
22nd Legislative District	Donald DiFrancesco	Rep	Joseph Suliga	Dem
23rd Legislative District	William E. Schluter	Rep	Leonard Lance	Rep
24th Legislative District	Robert Littell	Rep	Robert Littell	Rep
25th Legislative District	Anthony Bucco	Rep	Anthony Bucco	Rep
26th Legislative District	Robert Martin	Rep	Robert Martin	Rep
27th Legislative District	Richard Codey	Dem	Richard Codey	Dem
28th Legislative District	Ronald Rice	Dem	Ronald Rice	Dem
29th Legislative District	Sharpe James^[e]	Dem	Sharpe James	Dem
30th Legislative District	Robert W. Singer	Rep	Robert W. Singer	Rep
31st Legislative District	Edward T. O'Connor Jr.	Dem	Joseph Charles	Dem
32nd Legislative District	Nicholas Sacco	Dem	Nicholas Sacco	Dem
33rd Legislative District	Bernard Kenny	Dem	Bernard Kenny	Dem
34th Legislative District	Norman M. Robertson	Rep	Nia Gill	Dem
35th Legislative District	John Girgenti	Dem	John Girgenti	Dem
36th Legislative District	Garry Furnari	Dem	Garry Furnari	Dem
37th Legislative District	Byron Baer	Dem	Byron Baer	Dem
38th Legislative District	Louis F. Kosco	Rep	Joseph Coniglio	Dem
39th Legislative District	Gerald Cardinale	Rep	Gerald Cardinale	Rep
40th Legislative District	Henry McNamara	Rep	Henry McNamara	Rep

Close races

Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:

Legislative District 1, 0.8%
Legislative District 3, 3.0% gain
Legislative District 7, 8.2%
Legislative District 14, 4.2%
Legislative District 36, 3.0%
Legislative District 38, 6.2%

^ Senator Zane switched from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party in February 2001.
^ Senator Jack Sinagra resigned on October 23, 2001, to become chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
^ O'Toole was appointed to the Senate after Senator C. Louis Bassano resigned to join the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority.
^ Redistricted to 40th district.
^ James was appointed in June 1999 to complete the unexpired term of Senator Wynona Lipman. He won a special election for the seat in 1999.

District 1

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	James Cafiero (incumbent)	31,150	50.4
	Democratic	William J. Hughes, Jr.	30,709	49.6
Total votes			61,859	100.00%

District 2

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	William Gormley (incumbent)	34,786	86.5
	Green	David Alcantara	5,411	13.5
Total votes			40,197	100.00%

District 3

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Stephen M. Sweeney	29,873	51.5
	Republican	Raymond Zane (incumbent)	28,138	48.5
Total votes			58,011	100.00%

District 4

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	John J. Matheussen (incumbent)	28,530	58.2
	Democratic	Joseph L. Manganello	20,451	41.8
Total votes			48,981	100.00%

District 5

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Wayne R. Bryant (incumbent)	29,568	69.3
	Republican	Maryann T. Callahan	13,087	30.7
Total votes			42,655	100.00%

District 6

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	John Adler (incumbent)	39,336	66.7
	Republican	Jane A. Greenfogel	19,635	33.3
Total votes			58,971	100.00%

District 7

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Diane Allen (incumbent)	29,756	54.1
	Democratic	Lou Gallagher	25,293	45.9
Total votes			55,049	100.00%

District 8

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Martha W. Bark (incumbent)	35,276	60.7
	Democratic	Gary E. Haman	22,865	39.3
Total votes			58,141	100.00%

District 9

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Leonard T. Connors (incumbent)	43,303	58.7%
	Democratic	Peter A. Terranova	29,885	40.5%
	Common Sense Independent	Mark Schreckenstein	588	0.8%
Total votes			73,776	100.00%

District 10

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Andrew R. Ciesla (incumbent)	36,329	56.8%
	Democratic	Timothy E. Ryan	27,609	43.2%
Total votes			63,938	100.00%

District 11

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Joseph A. Palaia (incumbent)	36,385	62.0%
	Democratic	Maureen O'Rourke	22,261	38.0%
Total votes			58,646	100.00%

District 12

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	John O. Bennett (incumbent)	34,464	58.8%
	Democratic	Amy I. Aughenbaugh	24,189	41.2%
Total votes			58,653	100.00%

District 13

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Joe Kyrillos (incumbent)	38,089	64.4%
	Democratic	Kiran Desai	21,066	35.6%
Total votes			59,155	100.00%

District 14

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Peter Inverso (incumbent)	32,034	52.1%
	Democratic	Sam Plumeri Jr.	29,458	47.9%
Total votes			61,492	100.00%

District 15

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Shirley Turner (incumbent)	32,289	69.1%
	Republican	Norbert E. Donelly	13,871	29.7%
	Libertarian	Thomas D. Abrams	563	1.2%
Total votes			46,723	100.00%

District 16

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Walter J. Kavanaugh (incumbent)	39,073	66.6%
	Democratic	Daniel Wartenberg	19,589	33.4%
Total votes			58,662	100.00%

District 17

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Bob Smith	29,290	68.9
	Republican	Matthew "Skip" House	13,216	31.1
Total votes			42,506	100.00%

District 18

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Barbara Buono	33,487	65.0
	Republican	John G. Cito	18,064	35.0
Total votes			51,551	100.00%

District 19

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Joe Vitale (incumbent)	37,322	77.4%
	Republican	Naresh "Nick" Gidwani	10,928	22.6%
Total votes			48,250	100.00%

District 20

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Raymond J. Lesniak	22,817	80.0%
	Schundler for Governor	Daniel M. Nozza	5,698	20.0%
Total votes			28,515	100.0

District 21

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Richard Bagger	41,539	58.6%
	Democratic	Ellen Steinberg	29,342	41.4%
Total votes			70,881	100.00%

District 22

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Joseph S. Suliga	29,326	59.1
	Republican	Milton Campbell	20,330	40.9
Total votes			49,656	100.00%

District 23

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Leonard Lance	43,721	69.3
	Democratic	Frederick P. Cook	19,407	30.7
Total votes			63,128	100.00%

District 24

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Robert Littell (incumbent)	41,019	74.4%
	Democratic	Edwin Selby	14,117	25.6%
Total votes			55,136	100.00%

District 25

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Anthony R. Bucco (incumbent)	38,020	65.5%
	Democratic	Horace Chamberlain	20,017	34.5%
Total votes			58,037	100.00%

District 26

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Robert Martin (incumbent)	38,779	65.9%
	Democratic	Paul E. Pinney	20,090	34.1%
Total votes			58,869	100.00%

District 27

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Richard J. Codey	35,237	64.7
	Republican	Jared Silverman	17,871	32.8
	African-Americans For Justice	Donald Page	1,359	2.5
Total votes			54,467	100.00%

District 28

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Ronald Rice (incumbent)	27,294	69.4%
	Republican	Marion Crecco	11,646	29.6%
	Independent	Brian E. Coleman	403	1.0
Total votes			39,343	100.00%

District 29

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sharpe James (incumbent)	25,510	100.0%
Total votes			25,510	100.00%

District 30

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Robert Singer (incumbent)	31,671	61.7%
	Democratic	Timothy J. Konopka	19,690	38.3%
Total votes			51,361	100.00%

District 31

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Joseph Charles	29,401	74.1%
	Republican	Martin J. McFadden	10,250	25.9%
Total votes			39,651	100.00%

District 32

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Nicholas Sacco (incumbent)	26,991	69.0%
	Republican	Frank MacCormack	11,514	29.4%
	Politicians Are Crooks	Herbert H. Shaw	396	1.0%
	Eliminate Primary Elections	Louis Vernotico	196	0.5%
Total votes			39,097	100.00%

District 33

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Bernard Kenny (incumbent)	28,659	75.3%
	Republican	Nancy Gaynor	9,378	24.7%
Total votes			38,037	100.00%

District 34

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Nia Gill	30,453	64.9%
	Republican	Norman M. Robertson (incumbent)	16,135	34.4%
	Social Economic Empowerment	Marie Yvrose Celestin	368	0.8
Total votes			46,956	100.00%

District 35

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	John Girgenti (incumbent)	25,844	100.0%
Total votes			25,844	100.00%

District 36

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Garry Furnari (incumbent)	22,914	50.8%
	Republican	John V. Kelly	21,571	47.8%
	Green Coalition	Joseph Farallo	642	1.4
Total votes			45,127	100.00%

District 37

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Byron Baer (incumbent)	33,650	66.4%
	Republican	Jonathan L. Bender	17,037	33.6%
Total votes			50,687	100.00%

District 38

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Joseph Coniglio	29,316	53.2%
	Republican	Louis F. Kosco (incumbent)	25,773	46.8%
Total votes			55,089	100.00%

District 39

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Gerald Cardinale (incumbent)	42,717	62.9%
	Democratic	Alan Baskin	24,543	36.2%
	Conservative	George E. Soroka	616	0.9%
Total votes			67,876	100.00%

District 40

New Jersey general election, 2001^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Henry McNamara (incumbent)	39,815	62.3%
	Democratic	Jack Nigro	24,122	37.7%
Total votes			63,937	100.00%

References

^ Hochman, Louis (September 10, 2020). "NEW JERSEY'S 750 VICTIMS OF 9/11 — WE'LL NEVER FORGET THEM".
^ ^a ^b ^c "New Jersey's Redistricting". The New York Times. May 9, 2001. p. 30.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac ^ad ^ae ^af ^ag ^ah ^ai ^aj ^ak ^al ^am ^an "Official List, Candidate Returns for State Senate for November 2001 General Election" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved December 3, 2015.

[3] Senator Zane switched from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party in February 2001.

[4] Senator Jack Sinagra resigned on October 23, 2001, to become chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

[5] O'Toole was appointed to the Senate after Senator C. Louis Bassano resigned to join the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority.

[6] Redistricted to 40th district.

[7] James was appointed in June 1999 to complete the unexpired term of Senator Wynona Lipman. He won a special election for the seat in 1999.

[1] Hochman, Louis (September 10, 2020). "NEW JERSEY'S 750 VICTIMS OF 9/11 — WE'LL NEVER FORGET THEM".

[nytredistrict-2] "New Jersey's Redistricting". The New York Times. May 9, 2001. p. 30.

[2001resultsSen-8] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac ^ad ^ae ^af ^ag ^ah ^ai ^aj ^ak ^al ^am ^an "Official List, Candidate Returns for State Senate for November 2001 General Election" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved December 3, 2015.

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