1943 New Jersey gubernatorial election

none January 2025 September 2023 1943 New Jersey gubernatorial election New Jersey 1896 Presidential no 1940 New Jersey gubernatorial election 1940 1946 New Jersey gubernatorial election 1946 November 2, 1943 54.99%https://nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/other/2022-1925-general-election-data.pdf General Election Data - 1924 to 2022 NJ.gov ( 30.53%) Walter Evans Edge in 1930 (cropped).jpg 150x150px Walter E. Edge Republican Party (United States) 634,364 55.20% 3x4.svg Vincent J. Murphy Democratic Party (United States) 506,604 44.08% 1943 New Jersey gubernatorial election results map by county.svg 280px County resultsEdge: #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #d72f30 70–80%Murphy: #7996e2 50–60% #584cde 70–80% Governor Charles Edison Democratic Party (United States) Walter Evans Edge Republican Party (United States) The 1943 New Jersey gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1943. Republican nominee Walter Evans Edge defeated Democratic mayor of Newark Vincent J. Murphy of the vote. The election, held at the height of American involvement in World War II, returned Edge, who had previously governed the state during World War I, to the office after nearly 35 years. Primary elections were held on September 21, 1943.1943 Results of the Primary Election - Held September 21st, 1943 https://nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/1920-1970//1943-primary-election.pdf June 12, 2025 Secretary of State of New Jersey Both Edge and Murphy were unopposed for their respective party nominations. Murphy was nominated with the support of the Jersey City political machine led by Frank Hague. Republican primary Candidates Walter E. Edge, newspaper publisher and former governor (191619) and U.S. senator (191929) Campaign Walter Edge was recruited to run by Republican Party leadership. Edge, who had served as governor from 1916 to 1919 during World War I, had been a popular leader and was elected to two terms in the United States Senate before serving as United States Ambassador to France. He announced his candidacy on April 30, 1943. He was immediately endorsed by good government activists, led by Arthur T. Vanderbilt and U.S. senator Albert W. Hawkes. Although Edge declined to present a detailed platform, he endorsed Charles Edison's ongoing efforts at constitutional reform and denounced any potential deal with the Democratic Party.TIMES Special to THE NEW YORK 1943-05-01 EDGE AGREES TO RUN FOR JERSEY GOVERNOR; Republican Backs Move for Constitution Revision https://www.nytimes.com/1943/05/01/archives/edge-agrees-to-run-for-jersey-governor-republican-backs-move-for.html 2026-03-16 The New York Times en-US 0362-4331 Results Republican primary results Walter Evans Edge Republican Party (United States) 227,253 100.00 227,253 84.21% 1,367 0.51%41,252 15.29%269,872 Democratic primary Candidates Vincent J. Murphy, mayor of Newark since 1941 and president of the New Jersey Federation of Labor Declined A. Harry Moore, former governor (192629, 193235, and 193841) and U.S. senator (193538) Campaign Murphy, a long-time labor organizer and the mayor of Newark, was chosen in July as a consensus candidate who could unify a party divided between supporters and opponents of the Frank Hague machine in Jersey City, including New Deal loyalists who favored national progressive policies over the pragmatic patronage approach taken by Hague.TIMES Special to THE NEW YORK 1943-07-29 MAYOR OF NEWARK TO BE EDGE'S RIVAL; Edison and Hague Agree on AFL Leader as Democrats' Candidate for Governor https://www.nytimes.com/1943/07/29/archives/mayor-of-newark-to-be-edges-rival-edison-and-hague-agree-on-afl.html 2026-03-16 The New York Times en-US 0362-4331 Murphy had been elected city commissioner in 1937 and mayor in 1941 with Hague's support against incumbent Meyer C. Ellenstein.Wildstein David 2024-09-02 Labor Leader: Vincent J. Murphy was NJ AFL-CIO president, two-term Mayor of Newark https://newjerseyglobe.com/trailblazer/136274/ 2026-03-16 New Jersey Globe en-US Hague was able to gain incumbent governor Edison's support for Murphy after Hague was unable to persuade his strongest ally, former three-term governor A. Harry Moore, to run. Edison and Hague each independently endorsed Murphy, eliminating the potential for a divisive primary campaign. Results Democratic Party primary results Vincent J. Murphy Democratic Party (United States) 170,385 100.00% 170,385 92.57% 1,050 0.57%12,626 6.86%184,061 General election Candidates John Binns (Prohibition) John C. Butterworth (Socialist Labor) Walter Evans Edge, newspaper publisher and former governor (191619) and U.S. senator (191929) (Republican) Vincent J. Murphy, mayor of Newark since 1941 and president of the New Jersey Federation of Labor (Democratic) Roy V. H. Wilkinson (Socialist) Campaign Because neither major candidate faced significant primary opposition, they focused early on contrasting their positions on the issues. Edge focused on his support for constitutional reform and administrative efficiency, opposing any proposal for a state income tax and promising to balance the state budget despite wartime expenditures.TIMES Special to THE NEW YORK 1943-05-01 EDGE AGREES TO RUN FOR JERSEY GOVERNOR; Republican Backs Move for Constitution Revision https://www.nytimes.com/1943/05/01/archives/edge-agrees-to-run-for-jersey-governor-republican-backs-move-for.html 2026-03-16 The New York Times en-US 0362-4331TIMES Special to THE NEW YORK 1943-10-29 EDGE SAYS MURPHY WANTS INCOME TAX; Jersey Republican Charges His Opponent Would Seek State Levy if Elected https://www.nytimes.com/1943/10/29/archives/edge-says-murphy-wants-income-tax-jersey-republican-charges-his.html 2026-03-16 The New York Times en-US 0362-4331 Murphy campaigned on greater protection for laborers, particularly safeguarding against exploitation in the industrial sector as a result of the war, and on establishing a framework for post-war economic equity. Edge argued that Murphy's policies would require tax increases to fund expanded social programs, particularly as wartime labor disputes had led to increased reliance on public assistance, and that labor rights should be secondary to the industrial focus necessary to win the war. Although Edge had been supported by Hague during his first gubernatorial campaign in 1916, he attacked Murphy for his association with the party boss. Late in the campaign, Murphy sought to make the war an issue in his favor. He accused Edge of using state national guard units during World War I to promote his political career, citing contemporary press reports. Edge denied the allegation. Murphy also accused Edge of isolationism in his opposition to 1940 Republican nominee Wendell Willkie, a charge which was denied by Willkie himself.1943-11-03 Edge Gets 94,000 Margin; Constitution Plan Adopted; EDGE IS ELECTED JERSEY GOVERNOR NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR https://www.nytimes.com/1943/11/03/archives/edge-gets-94000-margin-constitution-plan-adopted-edge-is-elected.html 2026-03-16 The New York Times en-US 0362-4331TIMES Special to THE NEW YORK 1943-10-30 MURPHY AGAIN HITS AT EDGE'S MILITIA; Jersey Democrat Insists His Rival Formed 1918 Unit as a 'Draft Refuge' https://www.nytimes.com/1943/10/30/archives/murphy-again-hits-at-edges-militia-jersey-democrat-insists-his.html 2026-03-16 The New York Times en-US 0362-4331 There were no debates between the two candidates; the campaigns relied instead on endorsements and traditional regional organizing. Results New Jersey gubernatorial election, 1943http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/1920-1970-results/1943-general-election.pdf Votes Cast for the Office of Governor of the State of New Jersey Secretary of State of New Jersey 1943 August 30, 2015 Republican Party (United States) Walter Evans Edge 634,364 55.20% Democratic Party (United States) Vincent J. Murphy 506,604 44.08% Socialist Labor Party of America John C. Butterworth 4,587 0.40% Prohibition Party John Binns 2,074 0.18% Socialist Party of America Roy V. H. Wilkinson 1,563 0.14% Republican Party (United States) Democratic Party (United States) In addition to Edge's large victory in the gubernatorial election, voters decisively approved a referendum in favor of constitutional revision, authorizing the state legislature to draft and agree upon a revised constitution with no modifications to the state bill of rights or legislative apportionment.TIMES Special to THE NEW YORK 1943-05-11 CONSTITUTION BILL WINS IN NEW JERSEY; Legislature Passes Measure to Put Issue Up to Voters https://www.nytimes.com/1943/05/11/archives/constitution-bill-wins-in-new-jersey-legislature-passes-measure-to.html 2026-03-16 The New York Times en-US 0362-4331 References collapsed 1943 New Jersey Gubernatorial New Jersey gubernatorial election