2002 United States Senate election in New Jersey

The 2002 United States Senate election in New Jersey was held on November 5, 2002. Former U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg was elected to an open seat over Republican businessman Doug Forrester after incumbent Senator Robert Torricelli dropped out of the race on September 30, facing ethical misconduct allegations, a formal admonishment by the U.S. Senate, and falling poll numbers against Forrester.

Primary elections were held on June 4. Torricelli was unopposed for the Democratic nomination, while Forrester won a competitive Republican primary over State Senators Diane Allen and John Matheussen. Another leading candidate, Essex County Executive James Treffinger, dropped out of the race on April 22 after facing a federal criminal investigation for bribery.

In the general election Torricelli, who was the target of a federal ethics probe, steadily began to trail Forrester in polling and eventually dropped out of the race in late September. The New Jersey Democratic Party sought to replace him on the general election ballot with Frank Lautenberg, who held the state's other Senate seat from 1982 to 2001. After legal proceedings aimed at forcing Torricelli's name to remain on the ballot were filed by Forrester's campaign, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that Lautenberg could be placed on the ballot.

On election day, Lautenberg defeated Forrester by a 9.9% margin, winning a fourth, non-consecutive term as a U.S. senator. At 78, Lautenberg became the oldest non-incumbent to win a Senate election. Lautenberg became the state's junior senator for the second time when he was sworn in on January 3, 2003. (Jon Corzine, who was elected to Lautenberg's old Senate seat, became the senior senator in 2003 as Lautenberg's previous tenure in the Senate was not counted as he was starting over.)

Candidates

 * Robert Torricelli, incumbent U.S. Senator

Although Torricelli would later withdraw from the race, he was unopposed for the Democratic nomination on June 4.

Candidates

 * Diane Allen, State Senator from Moorestown
 * Doug Forrester, businessman and former Mayor of West Windsor (1981–1982)
 * John J. Matheussen, State Senator from Mantua

Withdrew

 * Guy Gregg, State Assemblyman from Washington Township (Morris County) (withdrew April 8, endorsed Treffinger)
 * Robert W. Ray, former Whitewater special counsel (withdrew April 8)
 * James Treffinger, Essex County Executive and candidate for Senate in 2000 (withdrew April 22)

Declined

 * Lewis Eisenberg, former chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
 * Steve Forbes, publisher of Forbes magazine and candidate for President in 1996 and 2000
 * Thomas Kean, former Governor of New Jersey (1982–90)

Campaign
Many Republicans were eager to take on Torricelli, who was the subject of a federal investigation into his fundraising practices in his 1996 election.

James Treffinger became the first candidate to officially announce his campaign in November 2001, shortly after the state elections which ended a decade of Republican rule. Much speculation at the time revolved around popular former Governor Thomas Kean, whom party chair Joe Kyrillos referred to as a "star player."

At the April 8 filing deadline, the two trailing candidates, Assemblyman Guy Gregg and attorney Robert Ray, dropped out of the race. Gregg endorsed Treffinger, who seemingly became the front-runner for the nomination.

However, Treffinger's campaign collapsed less than two weeks later, when his office was raided by federal agents as part of an investigation into his acceptance of campaign contributions in exchange for public contracts. Many state and national Republicans withdrew their support from Treffinger. Four days after the raid, he withdrew from the race.

Aftermath
Treffinger was arrested in October and indicted by U.S. Attorney Chris Christie on twenty counts of extortion, fraud, obstructing a federal investigation, and conspiracy. He pleaded guilty in May 2003 to one count of obstruction and one count of mail fraud.

Candidates

 * Doug Forrester, businessman and former mayor of West Windsor (Republican)
 * Ted Glick (Green)
 * Frank Lautenberg, former U.S. Senator (1982–2001) (Democratic)
 * Elizabeth Macron (Libertarian)
 * Greg Pason (Socialist)
 * Norman E. Wahner (Conservative)

Withdrew

 * Robert Torricelli, incumbent U.S. Senator since 1997 (Democratic)

Campaign
On July 30, the Senate Ethics Committee issued a letter which "severely admonished" Torricelli for failing to disclose gifts he received and accepted from a donor. In late September, evidence was revealed about the relationship between Toricelli and the donor, and the donor was interviewed on WNBC in a segment dubbed "The Prisoner and the Politician". Torricelli dropped out of the race on September 30 due to ethical problems and poor poll numbers against Forrester, a relatively unknown opponent. Various candidates were sought after to replace Toricelli, including former U.S. Senator Bill Bradley, Congressman Bob Menendez and Congressman Frank Pallone. The New Jersey Democratic Party eventually chose former U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg as the party's candidate. In the case of The New Jersey Democratic Party v. Samson, 175 N.J. 178 (2002), Forrester sued to stop Democratic Party efforts to have Lautenberg replace Torricelli. The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled unanimously on October 2 that the party could switch Lautenberg's name in for Sen. Torricelli's on the ballot. Forrester received the endorsement of President George W. Bush.


 * Complete video of debate, September 5, 2002
 * Complete video of debate, September 12, 2002
 * Complete video of debate, October 30, 2002
 * Complete video of debate, November 2, 2002

Polling

 * with Diane Allen


 * with Guy Gregg


 * with John Mattheussen
 * with James Treffinger

<!--- These polls presently lack a source; if you can find a credible source, add them to the article.

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

 * Salem (largest municipality: Pennsville Township)