1991 New Jersey General Assembly election - Wikipedia
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The 1991 New Jersey General Assembly election was held on November 5, 1991.
The elections took place midway through Jim Florio's term as Governor of New Jersey. As in the State Senate elections, the Republican Party won a historic landslide, gaining 21 seats to win control of both chambers of the state legislature. Republicans flipped a seat in districts 1, 2, 15, 21, and 34, as well as both seats in districts 4, 7, 10, 11, 14, 18, 19 and 36.
As of 2025, the Republican Assembly majority of 58 seats is the largest for either party since 1973. From 1992 to 2002, a span of a decade, they would control the Assembly.
1982–92
1992–2002
New Jersey Legislature before (left) and after (right) the 1991 redistricting
As required, the New Jersey legislature redistricted its state legislative districts in advance of the 1991 election. Redistricting was on balance considered to have favored Republicans.[1]
A centerpiece of the Florio administration's legislative agenda was the passage of a $2.8 billion tax increase. Republicans centered their 1991 campaign on opposition to the increase, as did even some incumbent Democrats, such as Senator Paul Contillo.[1] According to the Florio administration, the tax increase was designed to aid blue-collar workers, who were "also the people most upset by enactment of the taxes."[1]
A strict gun control measure was another major legislative achievement of the Florio administration. The bill's passage led the National Rifle Association of America to spend nearly $250,000 in the 1991 elections targeting candidates in both parties who had voted in favor of the bill and supporting those who pledged to repeal it.[2]
Incumbents not running for re-election
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- Anthony S. Marsella (District 4) (ran for State Senate)
- John Paul Doyle (District 10) (ran for State Senate)
- David C. Schwartz (District 17)
- Jim McGreevey (District 19) (lost party support, ran for Mayor of Woodbridge[3])
- Michael F. Adubato (District 28)
- Bob Menendez (District 31) (ran for State Senate)
- Joseph Mecca (District 34) (ran for State Senate)
- John Girgenti (District 35) (ran for State Senate)
Additionally, several Democrats resigned their seats late in the 1991 campaign to join the Florio administration, including Joseph D. Patero, Edward H. Salmon, Frank M. Pelly.
- Dolores Cooper (District 2) (ran for State Senate as independent, but dropped out[2])
- Joe Kyrillos (District 13) (ran for State Senate)
- Chuck Hardwick (District 21)
- Bill Schluter (District 23) (redistricted to District 24, ran for State Senate)
- Louis F. Kosco (District 38) (ran for State Senate)
Voters in each legislative district elect two members to the New Jersey General Assembly.
- ^ Batten was appointed in after Assemblyman Edward H. Salmon resigned in April 1991 to join the Board of Public Utilities.
- ^ Roberts won a July 1991 special election to complete the unexpired term of Assemblyman Francis J. Gorman, who resigned due to poor health.
- ^ Solomon was appointed to complete the unexpired term of Assemblyman Thomas J. Shusted, who resigned to become Camden County counsel.
- ^ Casey was appointed to complete the unexpired term of Assemblyman Thomas P. Foy, who had resigned to take a seat in the State Senate.
- ^ Cantu was appointed to complete the unexpired term of Assembylman Joseph D. Patero, who resigned in August 1991 to join the Department of Labor.
- ^ Baker was appointed to complete the unexpired term of Frank M. Pelly, who resigned in July 1991 to become executive director of the New Jersey Lottery.
- ^ Redistricted to District 19.
- ^ Redistricted to District 21.
- ^ Redistricted to District 24.
- ^ Redistricted to District 24.
- ^ Garrett was appointed to the seat in November 1990 to complete the unexpired term of Assemblyman Robert E. Littell, who resigned to join the State Senate.
- ^ Redistricted to District 23.
- ^ Redistricted to District 28.
- ^ Redistricted to District 36.
- ^ Redistricted to District 34.
- ^ Catania won a 1990 special election to complete the unexpired term of Assemblyman John Girgenti, who resigned to join the State Senate.
- ^ Redistricted to District 38.
- ^ Vandervalk was appointed to complete the unexpired term of Assemblywoman Elizabeth Randall, who resigned in January 1991 to become Bergen County counsel.
Incumbents not running for re-election • Summary of races • District 1 • District 2 • District 3 • District 4 • District 5 • District 6 • District 7 • District 8 • District 9 • District 10 • District 11 • District 12 • District 13 • District 14 • District 15 • District 16 • District 17 • District 18 • District 19 • District 20 • District 21 • District 22 • District 23 • District 24 • District 25 • District 26 • District 27 • District 28 • District 29 • District 30 • District 31 • District 32 • District 33 • District 34 • District 35 • District 36 • District 37 • District 38 • District 39 • District 40
Districts where the difference of total votes between the top-two parties was under 10%:
- District 2, 3.8% gain R
- District 4, 2.8% gain
- District 7, 4.6% gain
- District 11, 1.8% gain
- District 13, 8.6%
- District 15, 5.55% gain R
- District 17, 5.5%
- District 19, 9.2% gain
- District 20, 4.2%
- District 35, 4.8%
- District 37, 6.9%
- ^ a b c Sullivan, Joseph F. (November 1, 1991). "Focus Is on a Few Close Races for New Jersey Legislature". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 8, 2014.
- ^ a b King, Wayne (August 23, 1992). "N.R.A. Is Politically Armed and, to Florio, Dangerous". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 26, 2015.
- ^ Halbfinger, David M. (November 1, 2001). "A Political Rise Built on Discipline; Under McGreevey's Self-Deprecation, The Heart of a True Political Animal". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 27, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an "Official Results, General Election, November 5, 1991" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved December 3, 2015.