New Jersey gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2013

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Ballotpedia Election Coverage Badge-smaller use.png
 New Jersey's 2013 elections
•   Congressional special elections  Governor • Lt. Gov • State Senate • General Assembly • State ballot measures • Candidate ballot access
Flag of New Jersey.png



2014 →
← 2012
2013
State Executive Official Elections
NevadaUtah state executive official elections, 2013ColoradoNew Mexico state executive official elections, 2013Arizona state executive official elections, 2013Montana state executive official elections, 2013CaliforniaOregon state executive official elections, 2013Washington state executive official elections, 2013IdahoOklahoma state executive official elections, 2013KansasNebraska state executive official elections, 2013South Dakota state executive official elections, 2013North Dakota state executive official elections, 2013IowaMissouri state executive official elections, 2013ArkansasLouisiana state executive official elections, 2013Alabama state executive official elections, 2013Georgia state executive official elections, 2013FloridaSouth CarolinaIllinoisTennesseeNorth Carolina state executive official elections, 2013Indiana state executive official elections, 2013OhioMaineVirginiaNew JerseyVermont state executive official elections, 2013Vermont state executive official elections, 2013MarylandRhode IslandRhode IslandMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMichiganAlaskaHawaiiWyomingTexas state executive official elections, 2013MississippiMinnesotaWisconsinKentuckyWest Virginia state executive official elections, 2013Pennsylvania state executive official elections, 2013Delaware state executive official elections, 2013Delaware state executive official elections, 2013ConnecticutConnecticutNew YorkNew Hampshire state executive official elections, 2013New Hampshire state executive official elections, 20132013 SEO election map.png
New Jersey • Virginia • Wisconsin
Candidates • News • Calendar

The New Jersey gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 2013. A statewide primary took place on June 4, 2013. On election day, polls were open 6:00 am until 8:00 pm EST.

Republican incumbent Governor Chris Christie (R) and incumbent Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno (R) were re-elected to a second term in 2013. This election marked the second time voters in New Jersey selected a lieutenant governor, following the creation of the office in 2005. It was also the second consecutive election in which Christie and Guadagno appeared together on the Republican ticket.

The position was established through a constitutional amendment passed by New Jersey voters on November 8, 2005. The lieutenant governor is elected on a joint ticket with the governor in the general election. After primary elections, gubernatorial nominees have 30 days to select a running mate. Kim Guadagno (R) became the first person to hold the office when she was elected alongside Gov. Chris Christie (R) in the 2009 election.

Christie and Democrat Barbara Buono each secured their party’s nomination in the primary elections held on June 4, 2013. While Christie had already decided on running with Guadagno before the primary, Buono waited until July 29, 2013, to formally announce her choice of union leader Milly Silva as her running mate.[1] The Buono-Silva ticket faced the incumbent Republican team of Christie and Guadagno, along with several third-party candidates, in the general election held on November 5, 2013.[2] Christie and Guadagno won re-election with 60.5% of the vote.[3]

Deadline Event
April 1 Last day to file candidacy
May 14 Voter registration for primary election
June 4 Primary election
June 10 Last day for independent candidates to file for general election
Nov. 5 General election

Results

General election

On November 5, 2013, Chris Christie and Kim Guadagno (R) won re-election as Governor and Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey. They defeated the Buono/Silva (D), Kaplan/Bell (L), Welzer/Alessandrini (I), Sare/Todd (I), Araujo/Salamanca (I), Schroeder/Moschella (I) and Boss/Thorne (I) ticket(s) in the general election.

Governor and Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey, 2013
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngChris Christie & Kim Guadagno 60.3% 1,278,932
     Democratic Barbara Buono & Milly Silva 38.2% 809,978
     Libertarian Kenneth Kaplan & Brenda Bell 0.6% 12,155
     Independent Steven Welzer & Patricia Alessandrini 0.4% 8,295
     Independent Diane Sare & Bruce Todd 0.2% 3,360
     Independent William Araujo & Maria Salamanca 0.2% 3,300
     Independent Hank Schroeder & Patricia Moschella 0.1% 2,784
     Independent Jeff Boss & Robert Thorne 0.1% 2,062
Total Votes 2,120,866
Election Results Via: New Jersey Department of State

Primary election

  • Democratic Primary
Governor of New Jersey Democratic Primary Election, 2013
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngBarbara Buono 88.1% 173,714
Troy Webster 11.9% 23,457
Total Votes 197,171
Election results via New Jersey Department of State.


  • Republican Primary
Governor of New Jersey Republican Primary Election, 2013
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngChris Christie Incumbent 91.9% 205,666
Seth Grossman 8.1% 18,095
Total Votes 223,761
Election results via New Jersey Department of State.


Candidates

General election

(Governor & Lieutenant Governor running-mate listed together)

[4]



Race background

Primaries

Incumbent Republican Gov. Chris Christie and Democratic state Sen. Barbara Buono each faced a single opponent in the June 4 primary election. Both candidates secured their party’s nomination with approximately 90 percent of the vote.[18]

Former Atlantic City Councilman Seth Grossman was the only Republican to challenge the first-term governor. Grossman’s campaign focused on criticizing Christie’s policies during his first term. On the Democratic side, Buono faced Troy Webster, an adviser to the mayor of East Orange, who emphasized his commitment to supporting working-class and middle-class families. Both Grossman and Webster received endorsements from the weekly publication NJ Today.[19]

Selection of running mates

After primary elections, New Jersey gubernatorial nominees have 30 days to select a running mate. Shortly after launching his re-election campaign, Governor Chris Christie announced that Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno would again be his running mate. Democratic nominee Barbara Buono announced her selection of Milly Silva, executive vice president of 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, as her running mate on July 29.[20][21] The ticket competed against the incumbent team of Chris Christie and Kim Guadagno, along with several third-party candidates, in the general election held on November 5, 2013.

Polling

Christie was favored to win re-election, with his campaign raising nearly double that of Buono's in the primary and maintaining a double-digit advantage in the polls throughout the election season.[22] In the final week before the general election, polling averages showed him with approximately a 24 percent advantage.[23]

Public financing

Since 1977, New Jersey gubernatorial primary and general election candidates have been eligible to participate in a public funding program. Under this system, candidates who raise a minimum amount of money are dispensed tax-generated funds, controlled by the state election law enforcement commission, in direct proportion to campaign donations given from the public. In the 2013 election cycle, the qualifying threshold for primary election candidates was $380,000.[24] The purpose of the program is to lessen the influence of corporate contributions in elections. On February 2, 2013, then-presumptive Democratic nominee Barbara Buono's campaign reported that it had surpassed the $380,000 mark.[25] By that time, Christie's campaign had raised $2 million. Unlike in the 2009 election, when Christie participated in the public financing program during both the primary and general election phases, he chose to wait until after the 2013 primary to opt into the program. By qualifying, Christie became eligible to receive approximately $8 million in public matching funds. The qualifying terms also required him to participate in two debates with Buono before the general election.[25]

In New Jersey, candidates who qualify for and accept public financing are subject to a spending limit on their gubernatorial campaigns. As of 2013, the maximum allowable expenditure for such candidates was $12.2 million, with a cap of $8.2 million in public matching funds.[26] New Jersey employs a two-to-one matching program for qualified contributions. It is detailed in Title 19 Chapter 25 Sub Chapter 15 of the New Jersey State Statutes.


Polls

April 2013-present

September 26-October 28

New Jersey Governor's Race 2013
Poll Barbara Buono (D) Chris Christie* (R)UndecidedMargin of errorSample size
Stockton College Poll
(October 23-28, 2013)
 32%56%8%+/-3.5804
Quinnipiac University Poll
(October 21-27, 2013)
 31%64%5%+/-2.81,203
Rutgers Eagleton Poll (Likely Voters)
(October 7-13, 2013)
 33%59%6%+/-4.1562
Quinnipiac University Poll
(October 10-14, 2013)
 33%62%5%+/-2.21,938
Monmouth University Poll
(October 10-12, 2013)
 38%59%3%+/-2.51,606
Stockton Institute Poll
(October 3-8, 2013)
 28%61%11%+/-3.5800
Quinnipiac University Poll
(October 5-7, 2013)
 33%62%4%+/-2.91,144
Rasmussen Reports
(October 7, 2013)
 34%55%7%+/-3.01,000
Fairleigh Dickenson Poll
(September 30, 2013-October 5, 2013)
 25%58%15%+/-3.7702
Monmouth University Poll
(September 26-29, 2013)
 37%56%4.0%+/-4.0615
AVERAGES 32.4% 59.2% 6.8% +/-3.22 1,037.4
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

April 19-September 22

New Jersey Governor's Race 2013
Poll Barbara Buono (D) Chris Christie* (R)UndecidedMargin of errorSample size
Quinnipiac University Poll
September 19-22, 2013
 30%64%6%+/-2.81,249
Stockton Poll
September 15-21, 2013
 30%58%9%+/-3.4812
Rutgers-Eagleton Poll
September 3-9, 2013
 35%55%8%+/-4.1568
Rasmussen Reports Poll
September 10-11, 2013
 32%58%8%+/-3.0999
Farleigh Dickinson University PublicMind Poll
August 21-27, 2013
 26%50%24%+/-3.7700
Monmouth University/Asbury Park Press Poll
August 15-18, 2013
 36%56%6%+/-3.5777
Quinnipiac University Poll
August 1-5, 2013
 30%58%8%+/-2.22,042
Quinnipiac University Poll
July 2-7, 2013
 29%61%7%+/-3.01,068
NBC News/Marist Poll
April 28-May 2, 2013
 28%60%10%+/-3.01,080
Quinnipiac University Poll
April 19-22, 2013
 26%58%13%+/-2.91,112
AVERAGES 30.2% 57.8% 9.9% +/-3.16 1,040.7
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.


February 2013

A Quinnipiac University Poll released February 20, 2013 reaffirmed incumbent Chris Christie's popularity with New Jersey voters post-Hurricane Sandy. At 74% job approval - "the highest of any New Jersey governor in 17 years of Quinnipiac University surveys" - and 71-23% believing that Christie deserved to win re-election in 2013, the governor was the clear favorite for the 2013 gubernatorial race.[27] According to the poll, Christie's strength was just one of likely Democratic challenger Barbara Buono's weaknesses heading into the primary election season. In a head-to-head match-up respondents preferred Christie to Buono 62-25, a wide margin that can be partially attributed to her anonymity: 83% of respondents said they did not know enough to form an opinion about Buono. Somewhat ominously for the Buono campaign, this figure indicates that her name recognition diminished slightly since voters were last asked to give their opinion of her back in January 2013.

New Jersey Governor's Race 2013
Poll Chris Christie Barbara BuonoUndecidedMargin of errorSample size
Quinnipiac University Poll
(Feb. 13-17, 2013)
 62%25%12%+/-2.91,149
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

November 2012 (Post-Sandy)

Hypothetical match-ups for Governor of New jersey
Cory BookerRichard CodeyBarbara BuonoLou GreenwaldTom Byrne
Percent of the vote34%31%22%21%22%
Chris Christie's percent of the vote53%56%60%60%58%
Undecided9%10%10%15%16%
Between November 14-17 2012, Rutgers and the Eagleton Institute of Politics surveyed 1,228 registered New Jersey voters through live telephone interviews. The respondents were given a series of hypothetical match-ups between incumbent Chris Christie and five potential Democratic candidates, and asked which of the two candidates they would vote for in the 2013 election. The margin of error was +/- 2.9%. [28]

October 2012

Hypothetical match-ups for Governor of New jersey
Cory BookerRichard CodeyBarbara BuonoLou Greenwald
Percent of the vote42%41%33%31%
Chris Christie's percent of the vote46%47%49%50%
Undecided11%11%17%17%
Between October 10-14 2012, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,405 registered New Jersey voters through live telephone interviews. The respondents were given a series of hypothetical match-ups between incumbent Chris Christie and four potential Democratic candidates, and asked which of the two candidates they would vote for in the 2013 election. The margin of error was +/- 2.6%. Leading the pack of likely challengers was Mayor of Newark Cory Booker, who trails Christie 46-42. A similar survey conducted in early September had Booker behind seven percentage points.[29][30]


July 2011

Hypothetical match-ups for Governor of New jersey
Cory BookerFrank PalloneBruce SpringsteenSteve Sweeney
Percent of the vote47%43%42%40%
Chris Christie's percent of the vote43%43%42%42%
Undecided10%14%15%18%
Between July 15-18, 2011, Public Policy Polling surveyed 480 New Jersey voters. The respondents were given a series of hypothetical match-ups between incumbent Chris Christie and four potential Democratic candidates, and asked which of the two candidates they would vote for.[31]

Campaign finance

The New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission administers campaign finance law and maintains all records online.

For the primary election:

  • First report -- due by May 13, 2013
  • 11-Day Pre-Primary report -- due by May 31, 2013
  • 20-Day Post-Primary report -- due by July 2, 2013

For the general election:

  • First report -- due by October 7, 2013
  • Pre-general report -- due by October 25, 2013
  • Post-general report -- due by November 25, 2013

Barbara Buono

Barbara Buono[32] Campaign Finance Reports
ReportDate FiledBeginning BalanceTotal Contributions
for Reporting Period		ExpendituresCash on Hand
Post-Primary ReportJune 27, 2013$87,127.60$631,687.49$(651,893.65)$66,421.44
Running totals
$631,687.49$(651,893.65)

Chris Christie

Chris Christie[33] Campaign Finance Reports
ReportDate FiledBeginning BalanceTotal Contributions
for Reporting Period		ExpendituresCash on Hand
Post-Primary ReportJune 24, 2013$1,795,586.23$374,512.68$(2,016,343.59)$151,590.32
Running totals
$374,512.68$(2,016,343.59)


Seth Grossman

Seth Grossman[34] Campaign Finance Reports
ReportDate FiledBeginning BalanceTotal Contributions
for Reporting Period		ExpendituresCash on Hand
Post-Primary ReportJune 21, 2013$656$1,535$(1,143)$1,048
Running totals
$1,535$(1,143)

Endorsements

Democratic PartyBarbara Buono

Buono's campaign for governor was endorsed by:

Democratic PartyTroy Webster

  • Weekly newspaper NJ Today[39]

Republican PartyChris Christie

  • Shaquille O'Neal[40]
  • National Pipefitters Union[35]
  • Democratic Mayor of Harrison Raymond McDonough[38]
  • Harrison Town Council[38]
  • Port Authority Police Benevolent Association[41]
  • Latino Leadership Alliance PAC[42]
  • State Sen. and Union City mayor Brian Stack (D)
  • Paterson City Council President Anthony Davis (D)[43]

Republican PartySeth Grossman

  • Weekly newspaper NJ Today[39]

Campaign sites & media

Barbara Buono

Chris Christie

Seth Grossman

Troy Webster

News

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for New + Jersey + Governor + Election

New Jersey gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2013 News Feed

Additional reading

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Barbara Buono and Milly Silva 2013 Official Campaign website, "Press Releases: Buono Names Milly Silva Candidate for Lieutenant Governor," July 29, 2013
  2. ↑ NJToday, "NJ Decides 2013 Primary Election Results," accessed June 5, 2013
  3. ↑ Politico, Terry McAuliffe edges Ken Cuccinelli; Chris Christie coasts, November 6, 2013
  4. ↑ New Jersey Division of Elections, "Candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor - Official List," August 8, 2013
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Quinnipiac University, "Booker Is Strongest Dem To Face Christie, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Voters Say Show Me The Money Before Tax Cut Vote," October 17, 2012
  6. ↑ NorthJersey.com, "Democrat Barbara Buono running for governor in NJ," December 11, 2012
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 New Jersey State Board of Elections, "Primary candidate list for 2013 Governor," accessed April 4, 2013 (dead link)
  8. ↑ The Associated Press "Governor Christie Announces Re-Election Bid," November 26, 2012
  9. ↑ Politico, "Report: Cory Booker may take on Chris Christie," August 24, 2012
  10. ↑ The New York Times, "http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/21/nyregion/booker-wont-run-for-governor-eyes-senate-bid.html?hp&_r=1&," December 20, 2012
  11. ↑ The Star-Leger, "Sen. Richard Codey says he won't run for governor after weighing a campaign," January 25, 2013
  12. ↑ West Deptford Patch, "Steve Sweeney Won’t Run for Governor in ’13," January 28, 2013
  13. ↑ The Star-Ledger, "Sen. Sweeney to run for governor if Cory Booker declines, sources say," November 28, 2012
  14. ↑ The Huffington Post, "Steve Sweeney Considering Race For Governor Of New Jersey Against Chris Christie," December 6, 2012
  15. ↑ NJ.com, "Sen. Buono raises almost $250K in first month of campaigning," January 2, 2013
  16. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named quinpolll
  17. ↑ Rutgers-Eagleton Poll, November 27, 2012
  18. ↑ NJToday, "Primary election results," accessed June 5, 2013
  19. ↑ NJ Today, "EDITORIAL: Troy Webster For Governor," April 14, 2013
  20. ↑ NorthJersey.com, "Barbara Buono picks union leader Milly Silva as running mate," July 25, 2013
  21. ↑ NJ.com, "Buono announces Milly Silva as her lieutenant governor pick," July 29, 2013
  22. ↑ NJ News 12, "Poll: Christie remains popular in NJ," accessed April 15, 2013
  23. ↑ RealClearPolitics, "New Jersey Governor - Christie vs. Buono," accessed November 3, 2013
  24. ↑ NJ.com, "Sen. Buono raises almost $250K in first month of campaigning," January 2, 2013
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 The Star-Ledger, "Buono qualifies for public matching funds in N.J. governor's race," February 4, 2013
  26. ↑ New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, "Press Release," June 19, 2012 (dead link)
  27. ↑ Quinnipiac University Poll, "NEW JERSEY GOV FLIES HIGH, BURIES UNKNOWN DEM, QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY POLL FINDS;CHRISTIE CLOSE TO CLINTON, LEADS CUOMO IN ’16 PRES RACE," released February 20, 2013
  28. ↑ Rutgers Eagleton Center for Public Polling, "Christie Ratings and Re-elect 2012 Poll," November 26, 2012
  29. ↑ Quinnipiac University, "October 17, 2012 - Booker Is Strongest Dem To Face Christie, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Voters Say Show Me The Money Before Tax Cut Vote," October 17, 2012
  30. ↑ Quinnipiac University, "New Jersey Gov. Christie Gets No GOP Convention Bounce, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Voters Most Biased Against Atheists, Muslims," September 5, 2012
  31. ↑ Public Policy Polling, "Christie in trouble for re-election," July 20, 2011
  32. ↑ New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, "Campaign Finance Report Summary: Barbara Buono," June 27, 2013
  33. ↑ New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, "Campaign Finance Report Summary: Chris Christie," June 24, 2013
  34. ↑ New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, "Campaign Finance Report Summary: Seth Grossman," June 24, 2013
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 PolititickerNJ.com, "National pipefitters wade into gov. race, endorse Christie," March 26, 2013
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 36.2 36.3 Arizonacentral.com, "Dems agree on candidate to challenge NJ’s Christie," January 30, 2013
  37. ↑ 37.0 37.1 The Associated Press, "Buono picks up key backing in NJ gov's race," January 28, 2013 (dead link)
  38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 38.2 38.3 38.4 NJ.com, "Harrison's Democratic leaders endorse Christie without tipping county Dem Party officials," February 1, 2013
  39. ↑ 39.0 39.1 NJ Today, "EDITORIAL: Troy Webster For Governor," April 14, 2013
  40. ↑ The Washington Post, "Chris Christie launches ad featuring Shaquille O'Neal," October 27, 2013
  41. ↑ NJ.com, "Christie endorsed by Port Authority police union," January 22, 2013
  42. ↑ Fox News Latino, "Chris Christie Nabs Endorsement of New Jersey Latino Group," February 28, 2013
  43. ↑ The Huffington Post, "Chris Christie Re-election Backed Increasingly By Democrats," May 23, 2013
v • e
2013 state executive official elections
GovernorStateExecLogo.png
Lieutenant Governor
Attorney General
Superintendent
Election information
v • e
Governors
Current Governors
GovernorsLogo.jpg
Elections
2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010
Features
Flag of New Jersey
v • e
State of New Jersey
Trenton (capital)
Elections

What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2025 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures

Government

Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy

Retrieved from "https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=New_Jersey_gubernatorial_and_lieutenant_gubernatorial_election,_2013&oldid=10465701"