1997 New Jersey State Senate election
# 1997 New Jersey State Senate election

The 1993 New Jersey State Senate elections were held on November 4.

The election took place alongside Christine Todd Whitman's re-election as Governor over Senator Jim McGreevey. Republicans defended the large majority they gained in the 1991 landslide elections.

Four seats changed hands with no impact on the overall balance of power. Republicans Anthony R. Bucco and Diane Allen unseated incumbent Gordon MacInnes and gained the seat of retiring Senator Jack Casey, respectively. Democrats Shirley Turner and Garry Furnari unseated incumbent Republicans Dick LaRossa and John P. Scott, respectively. One Senator, Republican Joseph Bubba, lost a primary. His challenger, Norman M. Robertson, held the seat for the Republicans.

## Incumbents not running for re-election

### Democratic

* Jack Casey (District 7)
* Jim McGreevey (District 17) (ran for Governor)

### Republican

* John H. Ewing (District 16)

## Summary of results by State Senate district

| District | Incumbent | Party | Elected Senator | Party |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 1st Legislative District | James Cafiero | Rep | James Cafiero | Rep |
| 2nd Legislative District | William Gormley | Rep | William Gormley | Rep |
| 3rd Legislative District | Raymond Zane | Dem | Raymond Zane | Dem |
| 4th Legislative District | John Matheussen | Rep | John Matheussen | Rep |
| 5th Legislative District | Wayne R. Bryant | Dem | Wayne R. Bryant | Dem |
| 6th Legislative District | John Adler | Dem | John Adler | Dem |
| 7th Legislative District | Jack Casey | Dem | Diane Allen | Rep |
| 8th Legislative District | Martha W. Bark | Rep | Martha W. Bark | Rep |
| 9th Legislative District | Leonard T. Connors | Rep | Leonard T. Connors | Rep |
| 10th Legislative District | Andrew R. Ciesla | Rep | Andrew R. Ciesla | Rep |
| 11th Legislative District | Joseph A. Palaia | Rep | Joseph A. Palaia | Rep |
| 12th Legislative District | John O. Bennett | Rep | John O. Bennett | Rep |
| 13th Legislative District | Joe Kyrillos | Rep | Joe Kyrillos | Rep |
| 14th Legislative District | Peter Inverso | Rep | Peter Inverso | Rep |
| 15th Legislative District | Dick LaRossa | Rep | Shirley Turner | Dem |
| 16th Legislative District | John H. Ewing | Rep | Walter J. Kavanaugh | Rep |
| 17th Legislative District | John A. Lynch Jr. | Dem | John A. Lynch Jr. | Dem |
| 18th Legislative District | Jack Sinagra | Rep | Jack Sinagra | Rep |
| 19th Legislative District | Jim McGreevey | Dem | Joe Vitale | Dem |
| 20th Legislative District | Raymond Lesniak | Dem | Raymond Lesniak | Dem |
| 21st Legislative District | C. Louis Bassano | Rep | C. Louis Bassano | Rep |
| 22nd Legislative District | Donald DiFrancesco | Rep | Donald DiFrancesco | Rep |
| 23rd Legislative District | William E. Schluter | Rep | William E. Schluter | Rep |
| 24th Legislative District | Robert Littell | Rep | Robert Littell | Rep |
| 25th Legislative District | Gordon MacInnes | Dem | Anthony Bucco | Rep |
| 26th Legislative District | Robert Martin | Rep | Robert Martin | Rep |
| 27th Legislative District | Richard Codey | Dem | Richard Codey | Dem |
| 28th Legislative District | Ronald Rice | Dem | Ronald Rice | Dem |
| 29th Legislative District | Wynona Lipman | Dem | Wynona Lipman | Dem |
| 30th Legislative District | Robert W. Singer | Rep | Robert W. Singer | Rep |
| 31st Legislative District | Edward T. O'Connor Jr. | Dem | Edward T. O'Connor Jr. | Dem |
| 32nd Legislative District | Nicholas Sacco | Dem | Nicholas Sacco | Dem |
| 33rd Legislative District | Bernard Kenny | Dem | Bernard Kenny | Dem |
| 34th Legislative District | Joseph Bubba | Rep | Norman M. Robertson | Rep |
| 35th Legislative District | John Girgenti | Dem | John Girgenti | Dem |
| 36th Legislative District | John P. Scott | Rep | Garry Furnari | Dem |
| 37th Legislative District | Byron Baer | Dem | Byron Baer | Dem |
| 38th Legislative District | Louis F. Kosco | Rep | Louis F. Kosco | Rep |
| 39th Legislative District | Gerald Cardinale | Rep | Gerald Cardinale | Rep |
| 40th Legislative District | Henry McNamara | Rep | Henry McNamara | Rep |

* ↑ Bryant was appointed to complete the unexpired term of Senator Walter Rand, who died on January 6, 1995.
* ↑ Bark was appointed to complete the unexpired term of Senator C. William Haines, who died on December 18, 1996.

## District 1

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Republican | James Cafiero (incumbent) | 35,573 | 60.8% | 1.2 |
| | Democratic | John Rauh | 21,340 | 36.5% | |
| | Conservative | Geraldine Caiafa | 1,579 | 2.7% | N/A |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 58,492 | 100.00% | |

## District 2

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Republican | William Gormley (incumbent) | 34,814 | 65.2% | 3.6 |
| | Democratic | John R. Piatt | 18,569 | 34.8% | 3.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 53,383 | 100.00% | |

## District 3

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Democratic | Raymond Zane (incumbent) | 46,551 | 84.5% | 16.9 |
| | Conservative | Mary A. Whittam | 8,121 | 14.7% | N/A |
| | Republican | N/A | 415 | 0.8% | 31.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 55,087 | 100.00% | |

## District 4

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Republican | John J. Matheussen (incumbent) | 29,429 | 50.7% | 3.6 |
| | Democratic | Sean F. Dalton | 26,780 | 46.1% | 0.4 |
| | Conservative | Jim Barber | 1,872 | 3.2% | N/A |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 58,081 | 100.00% | |

## District 5

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Democratic | Wayne R. Bryant (incumbent) | 29,809 | 71.9 | 3.1 |
| | Republican | Mel Suplee | 11,624 | 28.1 | 3.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 41,433 | 100.00% | |

## District 6

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Democratic | John Adler (incumbent) | 34,073 | 53.0% | 6.8 |
| | Republican | John A. Rocco | 28,938 | 45.0% | 4.8 |
| | Conservative | Kenneth L. Mayo | 1,257 | 2.0% | N/A |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 64,268 | 100.00% | |

## District 7

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Republican | Diane Allen | 30,875 | 53.7 | 5.5 |
| | Democratic | Robert P. Broderick | 25,501 | 44.4 | 6.0 |
| | Conservative | Norman E. Wahner | 1,121 | 1.9 | N/A |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 57,497 | 100.00% | |

## District 8

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Republican | Martha W. Bark (incumbent) | 34,597 | 54.9 | 6.1 |
| | Democratic | Marie Hall | 28,401 | 45.1 | 6.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 62,998 | 100.00% | |

## District 9

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Republican | Leonard T. Connors (incumbent) | 45,880 | 60.0 | 5.2 |
| | Democratic | Bill Zimmermann, Jr. | 28,508 | 37.3 | 2.5 |
| | Conservative | Leonard P. Marshall | 2,139 | 2.8 | N/A |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 76,527 | 100.00% | |

## District 10

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Republican | Andrew R. Ciesla (incumbent) | 41,409 | 60.6 | 1.1 |
| | Democratic | Judith G. Leone | 24,217 | 35.5 | 0.3 |
| | Libertarian | Steve Nagle | 1,381 | 2.0 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Agnes A. James | 1,015 | 1.5 | 1.0 |
| | Green | Edith Gbur | 278 | 0.4 | N/A |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 68,300 | 100.00% | |

## District 11

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Republican | Joseph A. Palaia (incumbent) | 39,579 | 66.2 | 0.6 |
| | Democratic | Eugene M. LaVergne | 18,981 | 31.7 | 0.8 |
| | Conservative | Christian P. Olsen | 1,228 | 2.1 | 0.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 59,788 | 100.00% | |

## District 12

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Republican | John O. Bennett (incumbent) | 41,171 | 62.8 | 2.2 |
| | Democratic | George E. Ball | 20,289 | 30.9 | 0.4 |
| | Conservative | John P. Desmond | 2,780 | 4.2 | 1.8 |
| | Natural Law | Mary Jo Christian | 1,354 | 2.1 | N/A |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 65,594 | 100.00% | |

## District 13

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Republican | Joe Kyrillos (incumbent) | 36,047 | 63.2 | 0.8 |
| | Democratic | Mike Caffrey | 19,733 | 34.6 | 1.4 |
| | Conservative | Jerome Bowe | 1,299 | 2.3 | N/A |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 57,079 | 100.00% | |

## District 14

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Republican | Peter Inverso (incumbent) | 38,195 | 55.3 | 4.5 |
| | Democratic | Gilbert W. Lugossy | 28,866 | 41.8 | 1.6 |
| | Conservative | Joseph Fabrizi | 1,997 | 2.9 | N/A |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 69,058 | 100.00% | |

## District 15

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Democratic | Shirley Turner | 29,995 | 53.9 | 6.2 |
| | Republican | Dick LaRossa (incumbent) | 25,630 | 46.1 | 6.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 55,625 | 100.00% | |

## District 16

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Republican | Walter J. Kavanaugh | 44,171 | 63.8 | 2.2 |
| | Democratic | Mitchell E. Ignatoff | 22,545 | 32.6 | 5.8 |
| | Conservative | Richard C. Martin | 2,541 | 3.7 | N/A |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 69,257 | 100.00% | |

## District 17

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Democratic | John A. Lynch Jr. (incumbent) | 27,748 | 68.0 | 11.3 |
| | Republican | Timothy J. O’Brien | 13,061 | 32.0 | 2.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 40,809 | 100.00% | |

## District 18

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Republican | Jack Sinagra (incumbent) | 35,400 | 58.5 | 0.3 |
| | Democratic | Thomas H. Paterniti | 25,110 | 41.5 | 1.7 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 60,510 | 100.00% | |

## District 19

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Democratic | Joe Vitale | 32,454 | 60.2 | 12.6 |
| | Republican | Stephen A. Mikulak | 21,445 | 39.8 | 5.3 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 53,899 | 100.00% | |

## District 20

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Democratic | Raymond Lesniak (incumbent) | 26,699 | 69.1 | 9.2 |
| | Republican | Gene Andre | 11,928 | 30.9 | 9.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 38,627 | 100.00% | |

## District 21

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Republican | C. Louis Bassano (incumbent) | 43,997 | 100.00% | 35.7 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 43,997 | 100.00% | |

## District 22

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Republican | Donald DiFrancesco (incumbent) | 46,249 | 67.0 | 2.2 |
| | Democratic | Margaret Ault | 20,962 | 30.4 | 0.4 |
| | Conservative | Frank J. Festa, Jr. | 1,778 | 2.6 | N/A |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 68,989 | 100.00% | |

## District 23

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Republican | William E. Schluter (incumbent) | 42,221 | 61.3 | 30.4 |
| | Democratic | Austin “Ken” Kutscher, M.D. | 23,094 | 33.5 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Michael P. Kelly | 2,770 | 4.0 | N/A |
| | Independent | Daniel Z. Seyler | 762 | 1.1 | N/A |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 68,847 | 100.00% | |

## District 24

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Republican | Robert Littell (incumbent) | 44,342 | 73.0 | 10.3 |
| | Democratic | John G. Wingler | 13,551 | 22.3 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Ron Pondiscio | 2,868 | 4.7 | N/A |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 60,761 | 100.00% | |

## District 25

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Republican | Anthony R. Bucco | 37,048 | 54.8 | 5.1 |
| | Democratic | Gordon MacInnes (incumbent) | 29,515 | 43.7 | 6.6 |
| | Conservative | Joseph Long | 1,033 | 1.5 | N/A |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 67,596 | 100.00% | |

## District 26

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Republican | Robert Martin (incumbent) | 43,994 | 92.6 | 23.2 |
| | Conservative | Virginia P. Bauer | 3,505 | 7.4 | N/A |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 47,499 | 100.00% | |

## District 27

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Democratic | Richard Codey (incumbent) | 35,770 | 79.5 | 4.4 |
| | Republican | Richard R. Klattenberg | 9,250 | 20.5 | 4.4 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 45,020 | 100.00% | |

## District 28

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Democratic | Ronald Rice (incumbent) | 31,069 | 100.00% | 0.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 31,069 | 100.00% | |

## District 29

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Democratic | Wynona Lipman (incumbent) | 27,480 | 86.7 | 13.3 |
| | Republican | Elaine L. Guarino | 4,226 | 13.3 | N/A |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 31,706 | 100.00% | |

## District 30

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Republican | Robert Singer (incumbent) | 27,837 | 53.7 | 12.0 |
| | Democratic | Kenneth A. Kurtz | 20,815 | 40.2 | 5.9 |
| | Libertarian | Bob Mondgock | 1,932 | 3.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Fred Rasiewicz | 1,208 | 2.3 | N/A |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 51,792 | 100.00% | |

## District 31

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Democratic | Edward T. O'Connor Jr. (incumbent) | 30,993 | 77.6 | 9.2 |
| | Republican | Richard Freda | 8,935 | 22.4 | 9.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 39,928 | 100.00% | |

## District 32

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Democratic | Nicholas Sacco (incumbent) | 29,386 | 66.7 | 7.4 |
| | Republican | John Pluchino | 12,541 | 28.5 | 8.2 |
| | Politicians Are Crooks | Herbert H. Shaw | 1,569 | 3.6 | 0.8 |
| | Conservative | Pat Armstrong | 532 | 1.2 | 0.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 44,028 | 100.00% | |

## District 33

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Democratic | Bernard Kenny (incumbent) | 27,914 | 72.6% | 9.3 |
| | Republican | Gerald Spike | 10,517 | 27.4% | 8.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 38,431 | 100.00% | |

## District 34

### Republican primary

1997 Republican primary :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | Republican | Norman M. Robertson | 6,203 | 66.0% |
| | Republican | Joseph Bubba (incumbent) | 3,202 | 34.0% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 56,451 | 100.00% |

### General election

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Republican | Norman M. Robertson | 30,450 | 53.9% | 1.6 |
| | Democratic | Joan Waks | 26,001 | 46.1% | 1.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 56,451 | 100.00% | |

## District 35

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Democratic | John Girgenti (incumbent) | 24,552 | 69.8 | 3.3 |
| | Republican | Brian A. Duncan | 10,644 | 30.2 | 1.9 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 35,196 | 100.00% | |

## District 36

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Democratic | Garry Furnari | 25,844 | 53.1% | 6.0 |
| | Republican | John P. Scott (incumbent) | 22,806 | 46.9% | 6.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 48,650 | 100.00% | |

## District 37

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Democratic | Byron Baer (incumbent) | 30,844 | 59.0 | 1.5 |
| | Republican | Steve Lonegan | 20,543 | 39.3 | 1.7 |
| | Natural Law | Helen Hamilton | 855 | 1.6 | N/A |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 52,242 | 100.00% | |

## District 38

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Republican | Louis F. Kosco (incumbent) | 30,538 | 55.2% | 8.1 |
| | Democratic | Valerie Huttle | 23,350 | 42.2% | 5.5 |
| | Conservative | Denise A. Richardson | 1,390 | 2.5% | N/A |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 55,278 | 100.00% | |

## District 39

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Republican | Gerald Cardinale (incumbent) | 46,424 | 66.3 | 3.8 |
| | Democratic | Ilan Plawker | 22,466 | 32.1 | 5.4 |
| | Conservative | Michael W. Koontz | 1,166 | 1.7 | N/A |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 70,056 | 100.00% | |

## District 40

1997 general election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Republican | Henry McNamara (incumbent) | 42,751 | 67.5% | 0.2 |
| | Democratic | Michael Greenspan | 20,537 | 32.5% | 0.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 63,288 | 100.00% | |
