2020 United States Senate election in New Jersey

The 2020 United States Senate election in New Jersey was held on November 3, 2020, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of New Jersey. It was held concurrently with the 2020 United States presidential election, as well as various other elections. The primary elections were moved from June 2, 2020, to July 7, 2020, due to COVID-19 pandemic concerns.

2020 United States Senate election in New Jersey

November 3, 2020
 
Nominee Cory Booker Rik Mehta
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 2,541,178 1,817,052
Percentage 57.23% 40.92%

County results
Booker:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Mehta:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election

Cory Booker
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Cory Booker
Democratic

Incumbent Cory Booker, a member of the Democratic Party and a former 2020 presidential candidate, won a second full term. The Republican nominee was Rik Mehta.[1]

Democratic primary

Nominee

Eliminated in primary

  • Lawrence "Larry" Hamm, chairman of the People's Organization for Progress[3]

Withdrew

Declined

Endorsements

Cory Booker
State officials
Local officials
Organizations
Lawrence "Larry" Hamm
Individuals
Organizations

Results

Results by county:
Democratic primary results[24]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Cory Booker (incumbent) 838,110 87.58%
Democratic Lawrence Hamm 118,802 12.42%
Total votes 956,912 100.0%

Republican primary

Nominee

  • Rik Mehta, pharmaceutical executive and attorney[25]

Eliminated in primary

Withdrawn

Declined

  • Matt Rooney, attorney and political pundit[37]

Endorsements

Hirsh Singh

Results

Results by county:
Republican primary results[24]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Rik Mehta 154,817 38.01%
Republican Hirsh Singh 146,133 35.88%
Republican Tricia Flanagan 72,678 17.84%
Republican Natalie Lynn Rivera 21,650 5.31%
Republican Eugene Anagnos 12,047 2.96%
Total votes 407,325 100.0%

Other candidates

Nominee

Endorsements

Madelyn R. Hoffman
Elected Officials
  • Corey Teague, member of the Paterson Board of Education[44]
Individuals
  • Chris Hedges, Journalist[44]
  • Jill Stein, physician, activist, and 2012 and 2016 Green Party Presidential Nominee[44]
  • Ajamu Baraka, peace activist, 2016 Green Party Vice Presidential Nominee[44]
  • Howie Hawkins, activist, 2020 Green Party Presidential Nominee[44]
  • Peter Jacob, social worker, Democratic candidate for Congress in New Jersey's 7th congressional district, 2016 and 2018[44]
  • Seth Kaper-Dale, pastor, activist, 2017 Green Party Gubernatorial Candidate in New Jersey[44]
  • Cindy Sheehan, peace activist[44]
  • Stef Zamorano, co-producer, the Jimmy Dore show[44]
  • Margaret Flowers, peace activist, former co-chair of the Green Party[44]
  • Kason Little, social justice activist; Democratic Primary Candidate, Elizabeth City Council At-Large[44]
  • Lisa Savage, teacher, activist, Independent Candidate for US Senate, Maine[44]
  • Herb Tarbous, Democratic Primary Candidate for Middlesex County Clerk[44]
  • Aissa Heath, Democratic Primary Candidate for Union County Freeholder[44]
  • David Schraeger, Peace Activist[44]
  • Kevin Hernández, Democratic Primary Candidate for Hudson County Freeholder District 6[44]
  • Anthony Díaz, co-founder of the Newark Water Coalition; Democratic Primary Candidate for Essex County Freeholder[44]
  • Josh Shapiro, hub coordinator, Sunrise Montclair[44]
  • Margaret Kimberley, activist, author, New York Green Party Member[44]
  • Bob Witanek, peace activist[44]
Radio
  • 89.1 FM WHAR - Free Radio for the Free Thinker[44]
Organizations
  • Black Alliance for Peace[44]
  • Green Party US Latinx Caucus[44]
  • Green Party of Monmouth County[44]
  • Green Party of Ocean County[44]
  • Young Ecosocialists Caucus - NJ[44]
  • Hummus JC[44]
  • Cats of Eastwick[44]

Nominee

Nominee

  • Veronica Fernandez[30]

Declared

General election

Predictions

Source Ranking As of
The Cook Political Report[46] Safe D August 17, 2020
Inside Elections[47] Safe D September 18, 2020
Sabato's Crystal Ball[48] Safe D August 5, 2020
Daily Kos[49] Safe D August 31, 2020
Politico[50] Safe D September 9, 2020
RCP[51] Likely D September 17, 2020
Niskanen[52] Safe D September 15, 2020
DDHQ[53] Safe D September 16, 2020
538[54] Safe D September 18, 2020

Endorsements

Cory Booker (D)
Senators
State officials
Local officials
Organizations
Unions
Rik Mehta (R)
State officials
Madelyn R. Hoffman (G)
Elected Officials
  • Corey Teague, member of the Paterson Board of Education[44]
Individuals
  • Chris Hedges, Journalist[44]
  • Jill Stein, physician, activist, and 2012 and 2016 Green Party Presidential Nominee[44]
  • Ajamu Baraka, peace activist, 2016 Green Party Vice Presidential Nominee[44]
  • Howie Hawkins, activist, 2020 Green Party Presidential Nominee[44]
  • Peter Jacob, social worker, Democratic candidate for Congress in New Jersey's 7th congressional district, 2016 and 2018[44]
  • Seth Kaper-Dale, pastor, activist, 2017 Green Party Gubernatorial Candidate in New Jersey[44]
  • Cindy Sheehan, peace activist[44]
  • Stef Zamorano, co-producer, the Jimmy Dore show[44]
  • Margaret Flowers, peace activist, former co-chair of the Green Party[44]
  • Kason Little, social justice activist; Democratic Primary Candidate, Elizabeth City Council At-Large[44]
  • Lisa Savage, teacher, activist, Independent Candidate for US Senate, Maine[44]
  • Herb Tarbous, Democratic Primary Candidate for Middlesex County Clerk[44]
  • Aissa Heath, Democratic Primary Candidate for Union County Freeholder[44]
  • David Schraeger, Peace Activist[44]
  • Kevin Hernández, Democratic Primary Candidate for Hudson County Freeholder District 6[44]
  • Anthony Díaz, co-founder of the Newark Water Coalition; Democratic Primary Candidate for Essex County Freeholder[44]
  • Josh Shapiro, hub coordinator, Sunrise Montclair[44]
  • Margaret Kimberley, activist, author, New York Green Party Member[44]
  • Bob Witanek, peace activist[44]
Radio
  • 89.1 FM WHAR - Free Radio for the Free Thinker[44]
Organizations
  • Black Alliance for Peace[44]
  • Green Party US Latinx Caucus[44]
  • Green Party of Monmouth County[44]
  • Green Party of Ocean County[44]
  • Young Ecosocialists Caucus - NJ[44]
  • Hummus JC[44]
  • Cats of Eastwick[44]

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size[lower-alpha 2]
Margin
of error
Cory
Booker (D)
Rik
Mehta (R)
Other /
Undecided
Research Co. October 31 – November 1, 2020 450 (LV) ± 4.6% 55% 32% 13%[lower-alpha 3]
Swayable October 23–26, 2020 363 (LV) ± 6.7% 61% 39%
Rutgers University October 19–24, 2020 851 (LV) ± 4% 61% 31% 9%[lower-alpha 4]
Stockton University October 7–13, 2020 721 (LV) ± 3.7% 57% 32% 10% [lower-alpha 5]
Emerson College September 4–7, 2020 500 (LV) ± 4.4% 52% 28% 21%[lower-alpha 6]
Monmouth University April 16–19, 2020 635 (RV) ± 3.9% 55% 32% 11%[lower-alpha 7]
New Jersey's 2nd congressional district
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size[lower-alpha 2]
Margin
of error
Cory
Booker (D)
Rik
Mehta (R)
Other /
Undecided
Monmouth University September 26–October 1, 2020 588 (RV) ± 4.1% 47% 39% 13%[lower-alpha 8]
48% 40%[lower-alpha 9] 12%
47% 41%[lower-alpha 10] 12%
Hypothetical polling
with Hirsh Singh
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size[lower-alpha 2]
Margin
of error
Cory
Booker (D)
Hirsh
Singh (R)
Other /
Undecided
Monmouth University April 16–19, 2020 635 (RV) ± 3.9% 58% 33% 9%[lower-alpha 11]
on whether or not respondents would vote to reelect Cory Booker
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size[lower-alpha 2]
Margin
of error
Yes No Undecided
Quinnipiac April 30 – May 4, 2020 941 (RV) ± 3.2% 53% 36% 11%

Results

Results of the general election by municipality, darker colors indicate higher win percentage:
-Blue municipalities won by Booker
-Red municipalities won by Metha
-Purple municipality (Teterboro only) Booker and Metha tied

The election was not close, with Booker winning re-election by 16.31%. Key to Booker's landslide victory was heavily populated areas such as Hackensack, Newark, and Trenton. Booker also narrowly won Morris County, which no Democratic Senator had ever carried since 1984 when Senator Bill Bradley swept every county. Mehta did well in Ocean County, which is a Republican stronghold, as well as many rural areas of the state. Booker made history as the highest vote earner in a statewide non-presidential election in New Jersey. Booker received 2,541,178 votes. Booker was sworn in for a second term on January 3, 2021. His term will expire on January 3, 2027.

United States Senate election in New Jersey, 2020[63]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Cory Booker (incumbent) 2,541,178 57.23% +1.39%
Republican Rikin Mehta 1,817,052 40.92% -1.41%
Green Madelyn Hoffman 38,288 0.86% +0.18%
Independent Veronica Fernandez 32,290 0.73% N/A
Independent Daniel Burke 11,632 0.26% N/A
Total votes 4,440,440 100.0%
Democratic hold

Results by county

County Booker votes Booker % Mehta votes Mehta % Other votes Other %
Atlantic[64][65]71,420 52.60% 61,568 45.35% 2,786 2.05%
Bergen[66][67]280,054 57.90% 195,193 40.36% 8,431 1.74%
Burlington[68]150,160 58.72% 102,136 39.94% 3,436 1.34%
Camden[69]173,335 66.25% 85,406 32.64% 2,900 1.11%
Cape May[70]22,952 41.53% 31,317 56.67% 993 1.80%
Cumberland[71]31,992 52.64% 26,626 43.81% 2,161 3.56%
Essex[72]260,604 77.78% 69,750 20.82% 4,715 1.41%
Gloucester[73]85,489 50.25% 80,943 47.58% 3,682 2.16%
Hudson[74]176,658 73.54% 56,917 23.69% 6,648 2.77%
Hunterdon[75]36,728 44.32% 43,951 53.04% 2,188 2.64%
Mercer[76]117,821 68.24% 52,248 30.26% 2,593 2.20%
Middlesex[77]221,802 60.55% 135,398 36.96% 9,110 2.49%
Monmouth[78]173,609 46.62% 191,700 51.48% 7,089 1.90%
Morris[79]146,148 50.18% 141,373 48.54% 3,710 1.27%
Ocean[80]116,036 35.20% 207,751 63.02% 5,882 1.78%
Passaic[81]131,195 59.97% 80,827 36.95% 6,736 3.08%
Salem[82]14,515 43.21% 17,910 53.32% 1,163 3.46%
Somerset[83]105,681 57.45% 75,622 41.11% 2,663 1.45%
Sussex[84]33,918 39.21% 49,884 57.66% 2,706 3.13%
Union[85]166,997 67.37% 76,677 30.93% 4,192 1.69%
Warren[86]24,124 40.39% 33,893 56.75% 1,709 2.86%
Total 2,541,238 57.19% 1,817,090 40.89% 85,493 1.92%

Counties that swung from Republican to Democratic

See also

Notes

  1. General Election write-in candidates have no barriers to or deadlines for qualification in New Jersey
  2. Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear
  3. "Someone else" with 2%; Undecided with 11%
  4. "Someone else" and "Neither" with 2%; would not vote with 1%; Undecided with 4%
  5. "Other" with 7%; Undecided with 3%
  6. "Someone else" with 5%; Undecided with 16%
  7. "Other" with 1%; "No one" with 0%; Undecided with 10%
  8. "Other" with 4%; "No one" with 1%; Undecided with 8%
  9. With a likely voter turnout model featuring higher turnout than in the 2016 presidential election
  10. With a likely voter turnout model featuring lower turnout than in the 2016 presidential election
  11. "Other" and "No one" with 0%; Undecided with 9%

References

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Official campaign websites
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