1988 United States Senate election in New Jersey

none March 2026 September 2023 1988 United States Senate election in New Jersey New Jersey presidential no 77%https://nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/other/2022-1925-general-election-data.pdf General Election Data - 1924 to 2022 NJ.gov ( 15pp) 1982 United States Senate election in New Jersey 1982 1994 United States Senate election in New Jersey 1994 November 8, 1988 150x150px Frank Lautenberg 1983 congressional photo.jpg Frank Lautenberg Democratic Party (United States) 1,599,905 53.55% BG Peter M Dawkins (cropped).jpg Pete Dawkins Republican Party (United States) 1,349,937 45.18% 280px County results 280px Congressional district resultsOnly top two candidates Lautenberg: #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% #3933e5 80–90% Dawkins: #ffb2b2 40–50% #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg Democratic Party (United States) Frank Lautenberg Democratic Party (United States) The 1988 United States Senate election in New Jersey was held on November 8, 1988. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg won re-election to a second term with a margin of 8.37%. This is the last time that New Jersey simultaneously voted for presidential and U.S. Senate candidates of different parties. Background 1982 United States Senate election in New Jersey Businessman Frank Lautenberg was elected in 1982 in a hard-fought, come-from-behind upset victory over U.S. Representative Millicent Fenwick. Given his narrow victory and low name recognition, New Jersey Republicans eagerly targeted his seat as a potential victory. Popular second-term Governor Thomas Kean led the efforts to recruit a challenger.POLITICS; SENATE RACE IS BEGINNING TO WARM UP 29 Mar 1987 https://www.nytimes.com/1987/03/29/nyregion/politics-senate-race-is-beginning-to-warm-up.html Sullivan Joseph F. The New York Times 24 Mar 2022 Democratic primary Candidates Frank Lautenberg, incumbent Senator since 1983 Elnardo J. Webster, former Hudson County Freeholder Harold J. Young Campaign Senator Lautenberg formally launched his re-election campaign in April.Lautenberg Opens Drive for Re-election https://www.nytimes.com/1988/04/26/nyregion/lautenberg-opens-drive-for-re-election.html 26 Apr 1988 The New York Times AP 24 Mar 2022 He ignored his primary opponents, instead focusing on the general election and Pete Dawkins.https://www.nytimes.com/1988/05/16/nyregion/mud-and-money-ready-in-jersey-race.html 24 Mar 2022 16 May 1988 Mud and Money Ready in Jersey Race The New York Times Sullivan Joseph F. Results 1988 Democratic U.S. Senate primaryhttps://nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/1988/1988-primary-election-results-us-senate.pdf 1988 U.S. Senate Primary Results Frank Lautenberg (incumbent) Democratic Party (US) 326,072 77.76% Elnardo J. Webster Democratic Party (US) 51,938 12.39% Harold J. Young Democratic Party (US) 41,303 9.85% 419,313 100.00% Republican primary Candidates Pete Dawkins, financial executive and retired U.S. Army brigadier general Declined Leonard S. Coleman Jr., New Jersey Commissioner of Community Affairs Campaign In 1987, Governor Thomas Kean recruited Pete Dawkins to move from New York City to Rumson, New Jersey in order to campaign as a Republican for Senate. Kean served as Dawkins's campaign chair.THE REGION: The Dawkins Challenge; 2 American Dreams Are On Display in Jersey Race https://www.nytimes.com/1988/03/06/weekinreview/the-region-the-dawkins-challenge-2-american-dreams-are-on-display-in-jersey-race.html Sullivan Joseph F. The New York Times 6 Mar 1988 24 Mar 2022 Efforts to recruit Dawkins were paired with efforts to persuade Commissioner of Community Affairs Leonard S. Coleman Jr. against running; Coleman was a personal friend of the Governor and was the early favorite to challenge Lautenberg.https://newjerseyglobe.com/fr/new-jersey-gop-could-have-had-a-black-senator-34-years-ago-but-they-went-in-a-different-direction/ New Jersey GOP could have had a Black senator 34 years ago, but they went in a different direction 17 Jan 2022 24 Mar 2022 Wildstein David New Jersey Globe Pete Dawkins announced his campaign on March 1 with the enthusiastic endorsement of Governor Kean. At his campaign announcement, Kean praised Dawkins as "the only West Point cadet in history to be the Captain of Cadets, president of his class, captain of the football team and finish in the top 5 percent of his class, and, by the way, pick up a Heisman Trophy and Rhodes Scholarship on the side." Dawkins pledged support for giving a presidential line-item veto and a "sweeping reform" of the federal budget process, while favoring budget cuts, including cuts to military spending, over tax increases.Dawkins Announces Race for Senate Sullivan Joseph F. The New York Times 1 Mar 1988 B6 24 Mar 2022 https://www.nytimes.com/1988/03/01/nyregion/dawkins-announces-race-for-senate.html On April 19, President Reagan appeared and spoke at a pre-primary fundraising dinner for Dawkins in Washington D.C., where Dawkins presented Reagan with a football signed by many Heisman Trophy winners.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCl6MnggGyE President Reagan's Remarks at Campaign Fundraising Reception for Pete Dawkins on April 19, 1988 YouTube November 2, 2018 Results Dawkins was unopposed in the primary. 1988 Republican U.S. Senate primary Pete Dawkins Republican Party (US) 155,886 100.00% 155,886 100.00% General election Candidates Pete Dawkins, financial executive and retired U.S. Army brigadier general (Republican) Thomas A. Fiske (Socialist Workers) Joseph F. Job, Bergen County Sheriff and candidate for U.S. Senate in 1970 (Independent) Frank Lautenberg, incumbent U.S. Senator since 1983 (Democratic) Jerry Zeldin (Libertarian) Campaign With no serious primary threat, Lautenberg and Dawkins targeted each other from early March. Both candidates being political moderates, the campaign quickly turned personal. On the day of Dawkins's campaign announcement, Lautenberg pointed out that he was a lifelong New Jerseyan, while Dawkins had moved to the state to run for Senate. Dawkins responded, "The important thing is not where we were born, but who we are, what our vision for the state is, and how we intend to act in the United States Senate." Lautenberg's carpetbagging accusation was a theme throughout the campaign.Otterbourg Robert https://www.nytimes.com/1988/06/26/nyregion/new-jersey-opinion-carpetbagging-is-not-a-real-issue.html NEW JERSEY OPINION; Carpetbagging is Not a Real Issue The New York Times June 26, 1988 May 16, 2015 Dawkins aimed to tie himself to the popular Governor Kean, while Lautenberg leaned on his relationship with New Jersey's more popular senior Senator, Bill Bradley. The campaign was full of political mudslinging. In addition to his carpetbagging accusation, Lautenberg's campaign also accused Dawkins's of lying about his war record.Povich Elaine S. New Jersey Senate Race A Mudslide https://www.chicagotribune.com/1988/10/20/new-jersey-senate-race-a-mudslide/ May 16, 2015 Chicago Tribune October 20, 1988 Dawkins accused Lautenberg of running a smear campaign, called him a "swamp dog",May Clifford D. https://www.nytimes.com/1988/10/26/nyregion/for-senate-rivals-in-jersey-it-s-personal.html For Senate Rivals in Jersey, It's Personal New York Times October 26, 1988 May 16, 2015 and criticized him for saying he voted eight times against a senatorial pay raise without mentioning the fact that he did vote once for the pay raise. Paul Begala and James Carville consulted for the Lautenberg campaign, while Roger Stone consulted for Dawkins. Stone called Dawkins “the biggest thing to hit New Jersey since Bill Bradley.” Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesizekey Key:A – all adultsRV – registered votersLV – likely votersV – unclear Marginof error FrankLautenberg (D) PeteDawkins (R) Other/UndecidedThe Star-Ledger/EagletonFebruary 14, 1988 LAUTENBERG HOLDS EARLY LEAD OVER DAWKINS IN RACE FOR U.S. SENATE https://eagletonpoll.rutgers.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/release_02-14-1988.pdf October 21, 2025 Rutgers Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling Jan. 29–Feb. 8, 1988 587 LV ±4.2% 45% 16% 40%The Star-Ledger/EagletonJune 13, 1988 DAWKINS NAME RECOGNITION UP: LAUTENBERG RETAINS CLEAR LEAD BUT GAP NARROWED https://eagletonpoll.rutgers.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/release_06-12-1988.pdf October 21, 2025 Rutgers Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling May 18–26, 1988 611 LV ±4.0% 45% 28% 27%51%33%16%The Star-Ledger/EagletonOctober 6, 1988 SENATE RACE UNCHANGED SINCE MAY; LAUTENBERG HOLDS COMMANDING 20 POINT LEAD OVER DAWKINS https://eagletonpoll.rutgers.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/release_10-06-1988.pdf October 21, 2025 Rutgers Eagleton Institute for Public Interest PollingSeptember 16–22, 1988765 LV±3.5%48%28%24% 53% 32% 16%The Star-Ledger/EagletonOctober 31, 1988 RACE FOR THE SENATE: LAUTENBERG STILL LEADS, BUT DAWKINS WITHIN STRIKING DISTANCE https://eagletonpoll.rutgers.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/release_10-31-1988.pdf October 21, 2025 Rutgers Eagleton Institute for Public Interest PollingOctober 17–25, 1988774 RV±3.5%46%34%10% 50% 38% 12%627 LV±4.0%47%35%18% 50% 39% 11%The Star-Ledger/EagletonNovember 3–6, 19881,183 RV±2.9%46%35%19% 49% 38% 13%954 LV±3.3%48%36%16% 51% 39% 10% Results United States Senate election in New Jersey, 1988http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=3549 Our Campaigns - NJ US Senate Race - Nov 08, 1988 https://nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/1988/1988-general-election-results-us-senate.pdf Votes Cast for United States Senator at the General Election held November 8, 1988 NJ.gov September 6, 2023 Democratic Party (United States) Frank Lautenberg (incumbent) 1,599,905 53.55% 2.61 Republican Party (United States) Pete Dawkins 1,349,937 45.18% 2.57 Independent (United States) Joseph F. Job 20,091 0.67% N/A Libertarian Party (United States) Jerry Zeldin 12,354 0.41% 0.04 Socialist Workers Party (United States) Thomas A. Fiske 5,347 0.18% 0.01 249,968 8.37% 2,987,634 100.00% Democratic Party (United States) By county CountyNJ DOS - Division of Elections - Election Results Archive https://nj.gov/state/elections/election-information-results.shtml 2025-01-16 nj.gov Frank LautenbergDemocratic Pete DawkinsRepublican Other parties % # % # % # Atlantic 54.7% 41,004 44.6% 33,417 0.7% 493 Bergen 52.6% 199,195 45.5% 172,257 1.9% 7,291 Burlington 52.0% 75,513 47.3% 68,657 0.6% 929 Camden 59.1% 110,718 40.1% 75,162 0.8% 1,438 Cape May 46.6% 19,720 52.8% 22,349 0.5% 223 Cumberland 55.4% 25,379 42.9% 19,680 1.7% 771 Essex 65.0% 170,591 32.4% 85,169 2.6% 6,855 Gloucester 53.4% 46,247 42.9% 39,232 1.7% 1,055 Hudson 61.7% 108,355 37.0% 65,092 1.3% 2,270 Hunterdon 41.1% 18,281 57.6% 25,615 1.2% 544 Mercer 61.8% 80,569 37.7% 49,122 0.6% 724 Middlesex 55.1% 141,067 43.8% 112,182 1.1% 2,796 Monmouth 50.8% 117,063 48.3% 111,318 0.8% 1,906 Morris 43.0% 79,237 56.4% 103,843 0.6% 1,057 Ocean 46.0% 84,812 53.2% 98,161 0.8% 1,512 Passaic 52.7% 77,827 45.0% 66,440 2.4% 3,512 Salem 48.8% 12,485 49.1% 12,562 2.1% 534 Somerset 46.4% 47,648 52.5% 53,969 1.1% 1,138 Sussex 38.4% 19,035 60.4% 29,909 1.2% 613 Union 55.0% 109,852 44.1% 88,027 0.9% 1,775 Warren 45.8% 15,307 53.2% 17,774 1.1% 356 Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Monomuth Bergen Burlington Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Salem right 280px Swing by county 280px 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 See also 1988 United States Senate elections References 1988 New J Category:1988 New Jersey elections