2001 New Jersey gubernatorial election

The 2001 New Jersey gubernatorial election was a race for the Governor of New Jersey. It was held on November 6, 2001. Primaries took place on June 25. Democratic nominee Jim McGreevey won the general election with 56% of the vote against Bret Schundler — the first majority-elected governor since James Florio in 1989. Democrats simultaneously ended Republican control of both houses of the legislature after 10 years.

This is also the last statewide election in Democrats won Monmouth and Ocean counties. This was the first time since 1973 that a Democrat won without carrying Cape May County. McGreevey, who was sworn in on January 15, 2002, resigned in November 2004 after disclosing both his homosexuality and an extramarital relationship with a man whom he had appointed as one of his advisors; he was succeeded by Senate President Richard Codey, who filled the remainder of McGreevey's term.

Candidates

 * Jim McGreevey, Mayor of Woodbridge, former state senator and nominee for governor in 1997
 * Elliot Greenspan, LaRouche activist

Withdrew

 * Robert Torricelli, U.S. Senator since 1997 (withdrew August 1, 2000)

Candidates

 * Bob Franks, former U.S. Representative from Summit and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2000
 * Bret Schundler, Mayor of Jersey City

Withdrew

 * Donald DiFrancesco, President of the New Jersey Senate and acting Governor

Declined

 * Jack Collins, Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly since 1996

Campaign
Towards the end of his tenure as mayor, Schundler served as chairman of the Hudson County Republican Committee, and in 2001, Schundler won the Republican gubernatorial nomination, facing former Congressman Bob Franks, a considerably more moderate Republican who was favored by the party establishment. Franks entered the race in April, two months before the primary, after Gov. Donald DiFrancesco dropped out of the race because of an unending series of newspaper stories highlighting ethics concerns. He was backed by Gov. DiFrancesco's political organization and endorsed by every county Republican committee except Schundler's base in Hudson County.

Schundler employed a more grassroots style of campaigning, visiting many local GOP organizations and forming close relationships with the Young Republicans and the College Republicans, as well as with conservative groups, including those active in homeschooling issues. The grassroots support he built up enabled him to win the nomination by a robust 15-point margin.

Candidates

 * Jerry Coleman (Green)
 * Mark Edgerton (Libertarian)
 * Michael Koontz (Conservative)
 * James McGreevey, former mayor of Woodbridge, State Senator, and nominee for Governor in 1997 (Democratic)
 * Costantino Rozzo (Socialist)
 * Kari Sachs (Socialist Workers)
 * William E. Schluter, State Senator from Pennington (Independent)
 * Bret Schundler, Mayor of Jersey City (Republican)

Campaign
After winning the primary, Schundler tried to reunite the party by reaching out to the figures who had endorsed Franks. This included having a unity lunch with Franks which was hosted by former Gov. Thomas Kean, and retaining New Jersey State Senator Joe Kyrillos as state party chairman. Kyrillos had been appointed by DiFrancesco as state party chairman six weeks before the primary, and he had supported Franks in the primary. However, the party remained split. Jim McGreevey, the Democratic candidate, exploited this division by painting Schundler as too conservative for New Jersey.

Results

 * Results by county

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

 * Atlantic (largest municipality: Egg Harbor Township)
 * Bergen (largest municipality: Hackensack)
 * Monmouth (largest municipality: Middletown Township)
 * Ocean (largest municipality: Lakewood)
 * Salem (largest municipality: Pennsville Township)