1976 New Jersey Democratic presidential primary

none June 2025 January 2025 1976 New Jersey Democratic presidential primaries New Jersey 1972 New Jersey Democratic presidential primary 1972 1980 New Jersey Democratic presidential primary 1980 CA OH June 8, 1976 yes Presidential delegate primary primary Yes 108 Democratic National Convention delegates91 elected by voters17 elected proportionally by initial delegates 250px File:NOTA Option Logo 3x4.svg Uncommitted 000000 87 199,796 42.3% File:Jimmy Carter 1977 cropped.jpg Jimmy Carter e35e5e Georgia 21 132,585 28.1% File:Representative Mo Udall Listens (cropped).png Mo Udall Arizona 59,933 12.7% e4df4a 0 FrankChurch.jpg Frank Church Idaho 31,052 6.6% 1c3f93 0 File: George Wallace (D-AL) (3x4).jpg George Wallace Alabama 28,614 6.1% 008000 0 yes primary Presidential preference primary (non-binding) Yes No Democratic National Convention delegates File:Jimmy Carter 1977 cropped.jpg Jimmy Carter e35e5e Georgia 210,655 58.4% FrankChurch.jpg Frank Church Idaho 1c3f93 49,034 13.6% Scoop Jackson campaigning in 1976 (cropped).jpg Henry M. Jackson(withdrew) Washington 6af2ed 31,820 8.8% File: George Wallace (D-AL) (3x4).jpg George Wallace Alabama 31,183 8.6% 008000 File:Ellen_McCormack.jpg Ellen McCormack New York 21,774 6.0% e56cbf 1976 Democratic Party presidential primaries The 1976 New Jersey Democratic presidential primary was held on June 6, 1976, in New Jersey as one of the Democratic Party's statewide nomination contests ahead of the 1976 United States presidential election. In the binding delegate primary, a slate of ten uncommitted delegates won the statewide contest and uncommitted delegates won a large majority of the delegates elected at the legislative district level. Of the declared candidates, only Jimmy Carter won any delegates by capturing pluralities in several districts.1976 New Jersey primary results https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/1920-1970//1976-primary-election.pdf nj.gov In the non-binding preference primary, Carter won a narrow majority over fractured opposition. 617,266 ballots were cast, breaking the record for a Democratic primary in New Jersey set in 1972, and in combination with the Republican primary held the same day, a higher percentage of eligible voters (28.1%) cast a ballot in the 1976 primaries than in any presidential year since 1952 (39%). Background Primary campaign Throughout the spring, Jimmy Carter began winning a series of state primaries, leading the opposition to consolidate into a "Stop Carter" movement dedicated to denying him a majority of the pledged delegates and forcing a brokered convention. In March, Governor of California Jerry Brown and U.S. Senator Frank Church entered the race and won a combined eight states. With the latest filing deadline in the nation, April 29, New Jersey became the focus of the Stop Carter movement. Many influential party leaders sought to draft Hubert Humphrey into the New Jersey primary against Carter. The Eagleton Institute of Politics poll released on April 23 showed that Humphrey would be the first choice of sixty-one percent of New Jersey Democratic primary voters if he entered the race; without Humphrey in the race, Carter led George Wallace and Scoop Jackson with a significant plurality of the vote. Many expected Humphrey to enter the race if Carter lost the Pennsylvania primary on April 27. However, Carter won Pennsylvania by twelve percent of the vote, and Humphrey declined to run in New Jersey in a televised news conference on the day of the filing deadline. (He would ultimately decline to be drafted altogether.) Jerry Brown, who would benefit from the uncommitted slate if Humphrey remained out of the race, also chose not to enter his name into the New Jersey primary. Procedure In the 1972 Democratic primary, delegates had been elected on a statewide and county basis. In 1976, ten delegates were elected on a statewide slate and two delegates were elected individually from each of the state's forty districts, with the exception of the 37th district, which elected three delegates because it had the highest voter turnout in the state in 1973 and 1974.Wildstein David 2024-10-01 Jimmy Carter turns 100. Here’s our look at his four presidential campaigns in New Jersey https://newjerseyglobe.com/presidential-election/jimmy-carter-turns-100-heres-our-look-at-his-four-presidential-campaigns-in-new-jersey/ 2025-06-02 New Jersey Globe en-US Each district also elected one alternate delegate. Seventeen more delegates would be chosen later by the elected delegates, apportioned by the proportional vote for each of the candidates. Candidates Jimmy Carter, former governor of Georgia Frank Church, U.S. senator from Idaho Jesse Gray, former New York state assemblyman (preference primary only) John S. Gonas, former chief judge of the Indiana Appellate Court (preference primary only) Frank Lomento, pretzel vendor and perennial candidate (preference primary only) Floyd L. Lunger, Mansfield Township carpenterCall The Morning 1996-06-14 TOWN BOMBER SUSPECT RAN FOR PRESIDENT IN ’76 PHILLIPSBURG https://www.mcall.com/1996/06/14/town-bomber-suspect-ran-for-president-in-76-phillipsburg/ 2025-06-02 The Morning Call en-US (preference primary only) Ellen McCormack, chair of the New York State Right to Life Party Ray Rollinson, Columbia business machine salesmanMan throws Panama hat in presidential ring, again https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1991/09/09/man-throws-panama-hat-in-presidential-ring-again/ 2025-06-02 Tampa Bay Times en (preference primary only) Mo Udall, U.S. representative from Arizona (delegate primary only) George Wallace, governor of Alabama Withdrew Fred R. Harris, U.S. senator from Oklahoma (delegate candidates in 27th district only) Henry M. Jackson, U.S. senator from Washington Declined Jerry Brown, Governor of California Hubert Humphrey, U.S. senator from Minnesota and former Vice President of the United States Endorsements Jimmy Carter ;State executive branch officials Brendan Byrne, governor of New Jersey State legislators Paul Contillo, assemblyman (ran for district delegate) John Paul Doyle, assemblyman (ran for delegate at-large) Raymond Garramone, state senator (ran for district delegate) Kenneth Gewertz, assemblyman (ran for delegate at-large) Anne Clark Martindell, state senator (ran for delegate at-large) Anthony Scardino, state senator (ran for delegate at-large) S. Howard Woodson, Speaker of the General Assembly (ran for delegate at-large) Local officials Mildred Barry, president of the East Orange School District Board of Education (ran for district delegate) William Brooks, mayor of Rutherford (ran for district delegate) Henry Cioffi, mayor of Long Branch (ran for district delegate) Joan Lessemann, Bergen County Freeholder (ran for at-large delegate) John Mollozzi, Union County Freeholder (ran for district delegate) Thomas Muccifori, former Ocean County Superior Court judge Dennis L. Riley, assistant Camden County counsel and municipal prosecutor (ran for district delegate) Joseph J. Roberts, member of the Bellmawr School District Board of Education (ran for district alternate) Party officials Nancy Hobart, New Jersey Democratic Party committee member and great-granddaughter of Vice President Garret Hobart Harry Lerner, Essex County Democratic chair (switched endorsement from uncommitted) Individuals Peter C. Eagler, Fairleigh Dickinson University student (ran for district alternate) Randall K. Filer, Princeton University graduate economics student (ran for district alternate) Alfonso Roman, president of the Puerto Rican Congress of New Jersey (ran for at-large delegate) Howard Rosen, lawyer and fundraiser (ran for at-large delegate) Alfred Wurf, president of the New Jersey AFSCME (ran for at-large delegate) Frank Church Local officials Michael J. Matthews, former Atlantic County Freeholder (ran for district delegate) Individuals John C. Beale, Princeton University public administration graduate student (ran for district alternate) Scoop Jackson (withdrew) State executive branch officials Arthur J. Sills, former Attorney General of New Jersey (ran for at-large delegate) State legislators Alene Ammond, state senator (ran for at-large delegate) Local officials William Brooks, mayor of Rutherford (ran for district delegate) Larrie West Stalks, Essex County Register Individuals Vincent DeMarco, Johns Hopkins University student (ran for district delegate) Martin Fox, former candidate for U.S. House (ran for at-large delegate) Charles Marciante, president of the New Jersey AFL-CIO (ran for at-large delegate) (switched endorsement to uncommitted) Martin J. Silverstein, Rutgers University student (ran for district delegate)Mo Udall ;U.S. congressmembers James J. Howard, U.S. representative for New Jersey's 3rd congressional district (ran for delegate at-large) State legislators Eldridge Hawkins, assemblyman (ran for district delegate) Herbert M. Gladstone, former assemblyman (ran for district delegate) William H. Hicks, former assemblyman (ran for district alternate) Gordon MacInnes, former assemblyman (ran for district delegate) Individuals Bill Bradley, New York Knicks basketball player (ran for delegate at-large) Lewis J. Paper, Newark attorney and former legislative counsel for U.S. senator Gaylord Nelson (ran for district alternate) Joe F. Vitale (ran for district delegate)Ellen McCormack ;Individuals Chris Smith, campaign manager for Stephen J. Foley (ran for district delegate)Uncommitted ;U.S. congressmembers Harrison A. Williams, U.S. senator (ran for delegate at-large) Dominick V. Daniels, U.S. representative for New Jersey's 14th congressional district State legislators William J. Bate, assemblyman (ran for district delegate) George H. Barbour, assemblyman (ran for district delegate) Gertrude Berman, former assemblywoman (ran for district delegate) Albert Burstein, assemblyman (ran for delegate at-large) Frank J. Dodd, state senator (ran for district delegate) James P. Dugan, state senator (ran for district delegate) Bernard J. Dwyer, state senator (ran for district delegate) Angelo Errichetti, state senator and mayor of Camden (ran for district delegate) Matthew Feldman, state senator and President of the New Jersey Senate Francis J. Gorman, assemblyman (ran for district delegate) William J. Hamilton, assemblyman (ran for district delegate) Joseph A. Maressa, state senator (ran for district delegate) Harold Martin, assemblyman (ran for district delegate) Francis J. McManimon, assemblyman (ran for district delegate) Joseph P. Merlino, state senator (ran for district delegate) Alexander J. Menza, state senator (ran for district delegate) William Musto, state senator and mayor of Union City (ran for district delegate) Daniel F. Newman, assemblyman (ran for district delegate) Bill Perkins, assemblyman (ran for district delegate) John J. Sinsimer, former assemblyman (ran for district delegate) H. Donald Stewart, assemblyman (ran for district delegate) John A. Sweeney, assemblyman (ran for district delegate) Richard Van Wagner, assemblyman (ran for district delegate) Robert Wilentz, former assemblyman Charles B. Yates, assemblyman (ran for district delegate) Raymond Zane, state senator (ran for district delegate) Local officials John Callahan, member of the Washington Township Council (ran for district delegate) Steve Cappiello, mayor of Hoboken (ran for district alternate) Donald S. Coburn, member of the Livingston Township Council (ran for district delegate) Dennis Collins, mayor of Bayonne Robert Gasser, Ocean County Freeholder (ran for district delegate) Kenneth A. Gibson, mayor of Newark Paul T. Jordan, mayor of Jersey City (ran for delegate at-large) Arthur John Holland, mayor of Trenton (ran for delegate at-large) Joan Masel, president of the Paramus Township Council (ran for district delegate) Lori Mooney, Atlantic County Clerk (ran for at-large delegate) Peter Mocco, mayor of North Bergen (ran for district delegate) Randy Primas, president of the Camden City Council (ran for district delegate) Anthony E. Russo, mayor of Union Township (ran for district delegate) William Simon, Camden County Freeholder Joseph Simunovich, Hudson County Freeholder (ran for district delegate) Marian W. Smith, member of the Parsippany Council (ran for district delegate) Donald Kofi Tucker, member of the Newark Municipal Council (ran for district delegate) Ronald Yuswack, member of the Wallington Township Council (ran for district delegate) Party officials Harry Lerner, Essex County Democratic chair (switched endorsement to Carter) Nicholas Venezia, Middlesex County Democratic chair Individuals Clara Allen, area director of the Communication Workers of America (ran for at-large delegate) Paul Bontempo, son of former party chair Salvatore A. Bontempo Charles Marciante, president of the New Jersey AFL-CIO (ran for at-large delegate) (switched endorsement from Jackson) Barbara McConnell, campaign manager for Helen Stevenson Meyner (ran for delegate at-large) Campaign Prior to Humphrey's decision not to run, state party chairman and state senator James P. Dugan began organizing a slate of delegates to support his candidacy. After his decision, the slate remained uncommitted and were joined by other Carter opponents, including U.S. senator Harrison A. Williams, Middlesex County chair Nicholas Venezia, Essex County chair Harry Lerner, Peter Rodino, and Paul T. Jordan. The uncommitted campaign recruited recognizable state and local leaders and state legislators to stand as delegate candidates, with the expectation that they would support Humphrey, Brown, or any candidate other than Carter at the convention. The uncommitted campaign gained further momentum after Scoop Jackson withdrew on May 1, following his defeat in Pennsylvania. Many of his delegate candidates also withdrew from the race and endorsed the uncommitted slate. The growing uncommitted slate undermined Governor Brendan Byrne, who had recruited delegate candidates for Carter and endorsed him on April 29. On May 6, Byrne stoked controversy by ordering Commissioner of Community Affairs Patricia Sheehan to fire Daniel Horgan, an uncommitted delegate candidate who had helped Dugan organize the slate. The same day, Byrne met Carter at Newark Airport and spoke on his behalf, but did not join Carter at an East Brunswick fundraiser. Results Carter won the preference primary by a wide margin over Church and Jackson, whose name remained on the ballot even though his delegate slate did not. He carried all twenty-one counties in the state. In the delegate primary, the at-large uncommitted slate beat the Carter slate by a margin of over 67,000 votes, winning 73 delegates overall while Carter took just 18. The Carter slate carried several counties, but in the district races in the same counties, popular Democratic legislators and local officials won several slots. Preference primary results 1976 New Jersey presidential preference primary Jimmy Carter Democratic Party (US) 210,655 58.40% Frank Church Democratic Party (US) 49,034 13.59% Henry M. Jackson (withdrew) Democratic Party (US) 31,820 8.82% George Wallace Democratic Party (US) 31,183 8.64% Ellen McCormack Democratic Party (US) 21,774 6.04% Floyd L. Lunger Democratic Party (US) 3,935 1.09% Jesse Gray Democratic Party (US) 3,574 0.99% Frank Lomento Democratic Party (US) 3,555 0.99% Ray Rollinson Democratic Party (US) 3,021 0.84% John S. Gonas Democratic Party (US) 2,288 0.63% 360,729 100.00% Delegate primary results Delegate slate Candidate Delegate candidates Delegates Aggregate votes Statewide District Total Oftotal(%) Total Oftotal(%) Uncommitted 10 95 87 80.56 523,968 42.04 Carter for President Jimmy Carter 10 81 21 19.44 349,301 28.03 Udall for President Mo Udall 10 800 0 165,108 13.25 Wallace for President George Wallace 10 730067,5875.42 Church for President Frank Church 10 580067,0595.38 McCormack for President Ellen McCormack 10 64 0 0 46,389 3.72 Jackson for President Scoop Jackson 0 510020,8751.67 No Slogan 0 6002,9590.24 Democrat for U.N. Reform 0 4002,3400.19 Harris for President Fred Harris Fred R. Harris 0 2 0 0 7160.06 Total 60 514 91 100.0 1,246,302 100.00 Registered voters, and turnout Delegate primary results by contest thumb|Each of the forty legislative districts in New Jersey elected two delegates, with the exception of the 37th district, which elected three. +1976 New Jersey Democratic primaryContestDelegatesand popular vote UncommittedUncommitted totals in the district elections are the totals of the top two (or three) uncommitted delegate candidates. Additional delegate candidates are listed under "other". Carter Udall Church Jackson Wallace McCormack Other TotalDelegates at-large7199,796 (42.34%)3132,585 (28.10%)59,933 (12.70%)31,052 (6.58%) 28,614 (6.06%)19,907 (4.22%) 471,8871st district6,745 (29.14%)210,136 (43.80%)1,621 (7.00%)1,785 (7.71%)1,266 (5.47%)1,022 (4.42%)296 (1.28%)272 (1.18%)23,1432nd district14,012 (33.25%)13,682 (30.51%)1,375 (11.39%)1,785 (14.79%)428 (3.55%)430 (3.56%)355 (2.94%)12,0673rd district211,390 (51.61%)7,343 (33.27%)1,499 (6.79%)896 (4.06%)941 (4.26%)22,0694th district29,897 (48.19%)6,187 (30.13%)1,246 (6.07%)1,217 (5.93%)410 (2.00%)1,579 (7.69%)20,5365th district29,851 (60.98%)3,372 (20.87%)1,778 (11.01%)102 (0.63%)1,051 (6.51%)16,1546th district27,408 (40.71%)4,353 (23.92%)3,091 (16.99%)1,727 (9.49%)389 (2.14%)710 (3.90%)519 (2.85%)18,1977th district29,629 (41.43%)7,486 (32.21%)2,382 (10.25%)2,011 (8.65%)603 (2.59%)624 (2.68%)508 (2.19%)23,2438th district15,550 (33.13%)15,772 (34.45%)3,139 (18.74%)969 (5.78%)643 (3.84%)680 (4.06%)16,7539th district16,658 (32.52%)16,841 (33.41%)2,240 (10.94%)2,599 (12.69%)1,088 (5.31%)1,048 (5.12%)20,47410th district25,646 (39.39%)4,386 (30.60%)2,788 (19.45%)354 (2.47%)483 (3.37%)677 (4.72%)14,33411th district26,703 (33.67%)5,808 (29.18%)3,380 (16.98%)1,176 (5.91%)370 (1.86%)923 (4.64%)788 (3.96%)759 (3.81%)19,90712th district27,985 (41.44%)5,354 (27.78%)3,110 (16.14%)723 (3.75%)457 (2.37%)882 (4.58%)759 (3.94%)19,27013th district27,539 (39.85%)5,508 (29.11%)2,934 (15.51%)1,002 (5.30%)873 (4.61%)885 (4.68%)178 (0.94%)18,91914th district6,366 (26.09%)28,351 (34.23%)6,379 (26.15%)1,261 (5.17%)713 (2.92%)573 (2.35%)755 (3.09%)24,39815th district5,969 (31.20%)27,862 (41.10%)1,408 (7.36%)246 (1.29%)992 (5.19%)1,072 (5.60%)1,581 (8.26%)19,12916th district25,957 (39.40%)3,794 (25.10%)2,029 (13.42%)864 (5.72%)1,262 (8.35%)1,211 (8.01%)15,11717th district26,034 (35.84%)3,467 (20.59%)2,190 (13.01%)774 (4.60%)563 (3.34%)958 (5.69%)1,139 (6.77%)1,710 (10.16%)16,83518th district212,591 (49.81%)5,053 (19.99%)2,222 (8.79%)1,261 (4.99%)1,821 (7.20%)1,098 (4.34%)1,234 (4.88%)25,28019th district210,212 (45.84%)5,249 (23.56%)3,179 (14.27%)838 (3.76%)703 (3.16%)816 (3.67%)1,052 (4.72%)229 (1.03%)22,27820th district29,031 (50.19%)3,621 (20.12%)2,258 (12.55%)1,837 (10.21%)363 (2.02%)783 (4.35%)102 (0.57%)17,99521st district29,270 (35.97%)6,092 (23.64%)1,479 (5.74%)3,794 (14.72%)3,094 (12.01%)1,298 (5.04%)741 (2.88%)25,76822nd district27,245 (42.45%)4,688 (27.49%)2,943 (17.26%)966 (5.67%)147 (0.86%)392 (2.30%)671 (3.94%)17,05223rd district26,978 (38.40%)5,412 (29.79%)3,285 (18.08%)1,237 (6.81%)452 (2.49%)696 (3.83%)18,17024th district14,844 (32.93%)14,642 (31.56%)1,973 (13.41%)974 (6.62%)1,113 (7.57%)415 (2.82%)747 (5.08%)14,70825th district26,488 (34.08%)4,521 (23.75%)5,277 (27.72%)1,168 (6.13%)816 (4.29%)769 (4.04%)19,03926th district29,917 (39.81%)4,925 (19.77%)5,126 (20.58%)914 (3.67%)1,608 (6.45%)721 (2.89%)1,699 (6.82%)24,91127th district26,353 (27.44%)5,605 (24.21%)4,876 (21.06%)1,129 (4.88%)1,085 (4.69%)2,122 (9.16%)646 (2.79%)1,339 (5.78%)23,15528th district25,395 (34.05%)3,545 (22.37%)2,153 (13.59%)4,050 (25.56%)701 (4.42%)15,84429th district12,944 (33.24%)14,274 (48.26%)1,638 (18.50%)8,85630th district27,267 (38.07%)4,197 (21.99%)1,322 (6.93%)1,183 (6.20%)634 (3.32%)3,730 (19.54%)756 (3.96%)19,08931st district213,325 (50.19%)5,100 (19.21%)2,027 (7.63%)263 (0.99%)1,531 (5.77%)2,588 (9.75%)1,715 (6.46%)26,54932nd district221,721 (61.85%)7,721 (21.98%)2,890 (8.23%)934 (2.66%)1,855 (5.28%)35,12133rd district216,702 (71.09%)4,139 (17.62%)1,117 (4.75%)204 (0.87%)1,332 (5.67%)23,49434th district27,020 (54.11%)2,625 (20.23%)1,381 (10.65%)1,093 (8.43%)204 (1.57%)395 (3.04%)209 (1.61%)46 (0.35%)12,97335th district23,588 (36.69%)3,269 (33.43%)833 (8.52%)1,086 (11.11%)224 (2.29%)369 (3.77%)410 (4.19%)9,77936th district5,326 (38.00%)25,755 (41.07%)1,436 (10.25%)675 (4.82%)822 (5.87%)14,01437th district311,869 (35.50%)9,676 (28.94%)7,471 (22.34%)1,701 (5.09%)1,205 (3.60%)670 (2.00%)846 (2.53%)33,43838th district4,242 (32.04%)25,142 (38.84%)1,884 (14.23%)650 (4.91%)307 (2.32%)486 (3.67%)528 (3.99%)13,23939th district15,284 (34.30%)15,038 (32.70%)2,595 (16.84%)764 (4.96%)562 (3.65%)274 (1.78%)889 (5.77%)15,40640th district15,785 (34.39%)15,725 (34.03%)3,221 (19.15%)733 (4.36%)479 (2.85%)228 (1.36%)650 (3.86%)16,821District subtotal64316,736 (40.95%)17216,716 (28.02%)105,175 (13.60%)36,007 (4.65%)20,875 (2.70%)38,973 (5.04%)26,482 (3.47%)13,451 (1.74%)773,524 Aftermath Ultimately, the New Jersey delegation cast its 108 votes for Carter at the 1976 Democratic National Convention. The vote came over the objection of assemblyman Francis J. Gorman, who shouted "No!" and sought to cast his vote for Jerry Brown. He was denied the right, and all votes were cast for Carter, who won the nomination with a large majority of delegate votes. References New Jersey Category:1976 New Jersey elections 1976