New Jersey House
Filing Deadline: April 7, 2008 • Primary Date: June 3, 2008 • General Election: Nov. 4, 2008District Profile: Camden, located in this district, is where the poet Walt Whitman lived when he wrote some of the versions of his Leaves of Grass. Full Profile
2006 results: Robert Andrews (D) was unopposed.
Incumbent
Robert Andrews (D)Elected in 1990; Seeking 10th term.
Challengers
Mahdi Ibn-Ziyad (D), teacher
District Profile: Politically, Atlantic City often votes Democratic but has an antique Republican machine that goes back generations. Full Profile
2006 results: Frank LoBiondo (R) defeated Viola Thomas-Hughes (D) by 62-36%.
Incumbent
Frank LoBiondo (R)Elected in 1994; Seeking eighth term.
Challengers
None
District Profile: Most residents live in the South Jersey suburbs of Philadelphia or in spread-out Cherry Hill with its 1960s and 1970s shopping centers. Full Profile
2006 results: Jim Saxton (R) defeated Rich Sexton (D) by 58-41%.
Republicans
Jack Kelly (R), Ocean County freeholder
Justin Murphy (R), energy consultant
Chris Myers (R), Medford Township councilman
Democrats
John Adler (D), state senator
District Profile: The 4th Congressional District of New Jersey covers much of the central part of the state and the invisible line separating North Jersey and South Jersey. Full Profile
2006 results: Chris Smith (R) defeated Carol Gay (D) by 66-33%.
Incumbent
Chris Smith (R)Elected in 1980; Seeking 15th term.
Challengers
Amy Vasquez (D), attorney
Josh Zeitz (D), college professor
District Profile: This area may look like WASP suburbia on the surface, but in fact it is home to successful people of all ethnic groups. Full Profile
2006 results: Scott Garrett (R) defeated Paul Aronsohn (D) by 55-44%.
Incumbent
Scott Garrett (R)Elected in 2002; Seeking fourth term.
Challengers
Camille Abate (D), attorney
Dennis Shulman (D), rabbi & psychologist
District Profile: The district is shaped something like an overturned capital F, with a long string of towns running from Piscataway to Sandy Hook, and two appendages running south. Full Profile
2006 results: Frank Pallone (D) defeated Leigh-Ann Bellew (R) by 69-30%.
Incumbent
Frank Pallone (D)Elected in 1988; Seeking 11th term.
Challengers
None
District Profile: The district is an agglomeration of places instead of a district with a distinct character -- the 7th includes parts of four counties. Full Profile
2006 results: Michael Ferguson (R) defeated Linda Stender (D) by 49-48%.
Republicans
Kelly Hatfield (R), former Summit County freeholder
Michael Hsing (R), Bridgewater Township councilman
Leonard Lance (R), state Senate minority leader
Martin Marks (R), Scotch Plains mayor
Tom Roughneen (R), attorney
Victor Sordillo (R), Warren mayor
Chris Venis (R), former Hillsborough deputy mayor
Kate Whitman (R), former congressional aide
Democrats
Upendra Chivukula (D), state assemblyman
Linda Stender (D), state assemblywoman
District Profile: In the 1980s, the district leaned Republican; in the 1990s, it became heavily Democratic. In 2004, it was still Democratic, but somewhat less so. Full Profile
2006 results: Bill Pascrell (D) defeated Jose Sandoval (R) by 71-28%.
Incumbent
Bill Pascrell (D)Elected in 1996; Seeking seventh term.
Challengers
None
District Profile: The scenery is familiar to fans of the Sopranos: Jersey City, Kearny, North Arlington, Lodi (home to the fictitious Bada Bing; the actual strip club uses a different name). Full Profile
2006 results: Steven Rothman (D) defeated Vincent Micco (R) by 71-28%.
Incumbent
Steven Rothman (D)Elected in 1996; Seeking seventh term.
Challengers
Vincent Micco (R), banker
District Profile: Overall the state's 10th District is 57% black; it is by far the most Democratic district in New Jersey. Full Profile
2006 results: Donald Payne (D) was unopposed.
Challengers
None
District Profile: This is one of the most affluent districts in the country: It ranks second in the nation in median household income. Full Profile
2006 results: Rodney Frelinghuysen (R) defeated Tom Wyka (D) by 62-37%.
Incumbent
Rodney Frelinghuysen (R)Elected in 1994; Seeking 8th term.
Challengers
Tom Wyka (D), IT project manager
District Profile: Redistricting made the 12th more Democratic, although it had been represented for most of the 1990s by a Republican. The process virtually took it off the table for effective competition. Full Profile
2006 results: Rush Holt (D) defeated Joe Sinagra (R) by 66-34%.
Incumbent
Rush Holt (D)Elected in 1998; Seeking sixth term.
Challengers
None
District Profile: The district includes most of the immigrant entry ports along the water, from West New York and Weehawken. The 13th is also where Aaron Burr killed Alexander Hamilton in their famous duel. Full Profile
2006 results: Albio Sires (D) defeated John Guarini (R) by 78-19%.
Incumbent
Albio Sires (D)Elected in 2006; Seeking second term.
Challengers
None
Race Rankings
Based on likelihood of seat switching party control
1.
Ill.-11
(Open-R)2.
Va.-11
(Open-R)3.
N.Y.-25
(Open-R)4.
Ariz.-01
(Open-R)5.
Texas-22
(Lampson-D)6.
N.J.-03
(Open-R)7.
N.J.-07
(Open-R)8.
N.M.-01
(Open-R)9.
Ohio-16
(Open-R)10.
Ohio-15
(Open-R)Previous Coverage
Check out National Journal's coverage of previous New Jersey house races.
