1997 New Jersey gubernatorial election

none 1997 United States gubernatorial elections January 2025 September 2023 1997 New Jersey gubernatorial election New Jersey Presidential no 1993 New Jersey gubernatorial election 1993 2001 New Jersey gubernatorial election 2001 November 4, 1997 56%https://nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/other/2022-1925-general-election-data.pdf General Election Data - 1924 to 2022 NJ.gov ( 9pp) File:WhitmanChristineTodd.jpg 150x150px Christine Todd Whitman Republican Party (United States) 1,133,394 46.87% File:Jim McGreevey 2009 Exodus 7 (cropped).jpg Jim McGreevey Democratic Party (United States) 1,107,968 45.82% 280px County results 280px Congressional district resultsOnly top two candidates Whitman: #ffb2b2 40–50% #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70%McGreevey: #a5b0ff 40–50% #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% #584cde 70–80% Governor Christine Todd Whitman Republican Party (United States) Christine Todd Whitman Republican Party (United States) The 1997 New Jersey gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 1997. In the Democratic primary, state senator and Woodbridge Township mayor Jim McGreevey defeated U.S. Representative Rob Andrewshttps://www.nytimes.com/1997/06/04/nyregion/mcgreevey-wins-democratic-nod-for-governor.html McGreevey Wins Democratic Nod for Governor Brett Pulley June 4, 1997 The New York Times subscription by 9,993 votes. In the general election, Republican Governor Christine Todd Whitman defeated McGreevey by 26,953 votes. Whitman won 46.87% of the vote, with McGreevey receiving 45.82% and Libertarian Murray Sabrin receiving 4.7%. Republican primary Candidates Christine Todd Whitman, incumbent Governor of New Jersey Results Republican Party primary results Christine Todd Whitman (incumbent) Republican Party (United States) 147,731 100.00 147,731 100.00 Democratic primary Candidates Jim McGreevey, mayor of Woodbridge and state senator Rob Andrews, U.S. Representative from Haddon Heights Michael Murphy, Morris County Prosecutor and stepson of former governor Richard J. Hughes Frank C. Marmo, perennial candidate Results thumb|280px|Democratic primary results by county #7996e2 McGreevey #a5b0ff 40–50% #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% #584cde 70–80% #5bc75b Andrews #5bc75b 50–60% #41b742 60–70% #309a30 70–80% #217821 80–90% #f9d440 Murphy #ffe680 40–50% #f4c200 60–70% |center Democratic Party primary resultshttps://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/1997/1997-primary-election-results-governor.pdf Official List Gubernatorial Primary Election Returns by County for Election held June 3, 1997 New Jersey Division of Elections Jim McGreevey Democratic Party (United States) 148,153 39.86 Rob Andrews Democratic Party (United States) 138,160 37.17 Michael Murphy Democratic Party (United States) 79,172 21.30 Frank C. Marmo Democratic Party (United States) 6,189 1.67 371,674 100 General election Candidates Madelyn R. Hoffman, Flanders grassroots activist1997-11-02 After Months of Running, Marathon Ends Tuesday; The Governor's Race, Issue by Issue (Published 1997) https://www.nytimes.com/1997/11/02/nyregion/after-months-of-running-marathon-ends-tuesday-the-governor-s-race-issue-by-issue.html 2025-09-26 en (Green) James McGreevey, state senator and mayor of Woodbridge (Democratic) Robert B. Miller, Newark assembly line worker (Socialist Workers) Lincoln Norton, Morristown software executive (Natural Law) Greg Pason, Hackensack small businessman (Socialist) Michael Perrone Jr., Little Ferry liquor store owner (Progressive) Richard J. Pezzullo, Freehold computer consultant (Conservative) Nuncie A. Ripa Jr., Hammonton excavation contractor (Independent) Murray Sabrin, Ramapo College professor (Libertarian) Christine Todd Whitman, incumbent governor since 1994 (Republican) Campaign October 2023 In June, a 60-second radio ad paid for by the New Jersey Republican Party focused on the 30% income tax cut and 180,000 new jobs. Whitman's ads blamed McGreevey for the state's auto insurance rates. The Whitman campaign emphasized the drops in unemployment, violent crime and welfare rolls during her term. Other ads took aim at McGreevey's record on taxes, particularly his support for former Gov. Jim Florio's (D) tax increase. The RNC criticized former Gov. Jim Florio (D) in an ad October, calling his 1990 tax increase a result of electing "liberal Democrats". In September, McGreevey unveiled two TV ads criticizing Whitman and focusing on property taxes, auto insurance rates, pension bond debts, and education standards. The Democratic National Committee also spent $1 million during the home stretch of the campaign on television ads for Democratic candidates statewide. In October, a poll found that voters of NJ called auto insurance the most important issue in the campaign, and property taxes second. Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror JimMcGreevey (D) Christine ToddWhitman (R) MurraySabrin (L) Other UndecidedRutgers-EagletonRutgers-EagletonSeptember 2025June 6–8, 1997602 RV±3.5% 38% 44%— 18%Rutgers-EagletonSeptember 2025June 11–16, 1997613 RV±3.5% 33% 49%— 18%Rutgers-EagletonSeptember 2025September 2–7, 1997673 RV±3.5% 35% 47%— 18% 32% 47%3% 18%Quinnipiac Collegehttp://www.quinnipiac.edu/news-and-events/quinnipiac-university-poll/new-jersey/release-detail?ReleaseID=813 New Jersey (NJ) Poll - September 16, 1997 - Whitman Holds 12-Point Lead An Quinnipiac University Connecticut May 19, 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140519023550/http://www.quinnipiac.edu/news-and-events/quinnipiac-university-poll/new-jersey/release-detail?ReleaseID=813 May 19, 2014 September 8–13, 1997 865 ±3.3% 37% 49% — 4% 10%Rutgers-EagletonSeptember 2025October 12–15, 1997631 RV±3.5% 40% 45%— 15% 38% 42% 6% 14%Quinnipiac Collegehttp://www.quinnipiac.edu/news-and-events/quinnipiac-university-poll/new-jersey/release-detail?ReleaseID=812 New Jersey (NJ) Poll - October 22, 1997 - McGreevey Trails Whitman By 8 Quinnipiac University Connecticut May 19, 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140519022147/http://www.quinnipiac.edu/news-and-events/quinnipiac-university-poll/new-jersey/release-detail?ReleaseID=812 May 19, 2014 October 14–20, 1997 1,120 ±2.9% 37% 45% 8% 1% 9%New York Times/CBS Newshttps://www.nytimes.com/1997/10/31/nyregion/the-1997-elections-the-voters-new-jersey-poll-finds-volatility-among-voters.html?src=pm&pagewanted=2 THE 1997 ELECTIONS: THE VOTERS; New Jersey Poll Finds Volatility Among Voters The New York Times 1997-10-31 subscription Jennifer Preston October 25–29, 1997 1,082 ±3.0% 33% 44% 8% 3% 12%Rutgers-EagletonSeptember 2025October 28–31, 1997613 LV±3.0% 36% 45% 9% 18% Results This was the first gubernatorial election in the state since 1949 where a Republican won without Passaic County. New Jersey gubernatorial election, 1997Official Results Gubernatorial General Election Returns by County for Election held November 4, 1997 https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/1997/1997-general-election-results-governor.pdf New Jersey Division of Elections Republican Party (United States) Christine Todd Whitman (incumbent) 1,133,394 46.87% 2.46 Democratic Party (United States) Jim McGreevey 1,107,968 45.82% 2.47 Libertarian Party (US) Murray Sabrin 114,172 4.72% 4.40 New Jersey Conservative Party Richard J. Pezzullo 34,906 1.44% 1.24 Green Party (US) Madelyn R. Hoffman 10,703 0.44% N/A Independent politician Michael Perrone, Jr. 6,805 0.28% N/A Socialist Workers Party (US) Robert B. Miller 2,816 0.12% 0.07 Socialist Party USA Greg Pason 2,800 0.12% N/A Natural Law Party (United States) Lincoln Norton 2,540 0.11% N/A Independent politician Nuncie A. Ripa, Jr. 2,240 0.09% N/A 25,426 1.05% 0.01 2,418,344 Republican Party (United States) Results by county Source: County Whitman votes Whitman % McGreevey votes McGreevey % Other votes Other % Atlantic 31,364 47.3% 29,091 43.9% 5,791 8.7% Bergen 148,934 53.3% 118,834 42.5% 11,903 4.3% Burlington 55,523 43.5% 60,690 47.5% 11,485 9.0% Camden 51,643 35.7% 82,028 56.7% 10,933 7.6% Cape May 18,227 49.6% 15,395 41.9% 3,159 8.6% Cumberland 13,651 36.5% 19,977 53.5% 3,729 10.0% Essex 69,470 35.3% 120,429 61.2% 6,778 3.4% Gloucester 30,314 38.4% 41,082 52.1% 7,519 9.5% Hudson 47,468 35.6% 80,526 60.4% 5,394 4.0% Hunterdon 24,465 59.5% 10,983 26.7% 5,698 13.8% Mercer 44,056 40.8% 54,977 50.9% 8,905 8.3% Middlesex 83,149 39.3% 110,354 52.2% 17,911 5.5% Monmouth 105,535 53.9% 74,098 37.8% 16,189 8.3% Morris 97,414 65.4% 41,296 27.7% 10,252 6.9% Ocean 84,897 53.8% 57,944 36.7% 15,076 9.5% Passaic 55,541 45.2% 60,256 49.1% 6,966 5.7% Salem 10,686 49.9% 8,790 41.0% 1,950 9.1% Somerset 51,465 57.4% 29,089 32.4% 9,154 10.2% Sussex 25,458 60.4% 11,331 26.9% 5,332 12.7% Union 68,721 46.6% 69,673 47.2% 9,065 6.1% Warren 15,413 50.8% 11,125 36.7% 3,793 12.5% right 280px Swing and trend relative to the state by county Legend #d40000 Republican — >15% #ff0000 Republican — +12.5−15% #ff2a2a Republican — +10−12.5% #ff5555 Republican — +7.5−10% #ff8080 Republican — +5−7.5% #ffaaaa Republican — +2.5−5% #ffd5d5 Republican — +0−2.5% #d5f6ff Democratic — +0−2.5% #aaeeff Democratic — +2.5−5% #77e3ff Democratic — +5−7.5% #4bdbff Democratic — +7.5-10% #09ceff Democratic — +10−12.5% #00bdec Democratic — +12.5−15% #00a1c8 Democratic — >15% 280px County flips Legend Democratic #92c5de Hold #0671b0 Flip Republican #f48882 Hold #ca0120 Flip Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Atlantic Cape May Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Burlington Mercer Passaic Notes References 30em 1997 Gubernatorial New Jersey Category:November 1997 in the United States