2014 United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey

The 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey were held on Tuesday, November 4, 2014, to elect the 12 U.S. representatives from the state of New Jersey, one from each of the state's 12 congressional districts. The elections coincided with the 2014 United States midterm elections for other federal and state offices, including U.S. House elections in other states and a U.S. Senate election in New Jersey.

As of 2024, this is the last time New Jersey’s delegation to the United States House of Representatives did not have a Democratic majority.

By district
Results of the 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey by district:

District 1
The 1st district is based in South Jersey and includes most of Camden County along with parts of Burlington County and Gloucester County. Democrat Rob Andrews represented the district from 1990 until his resignation on February 18, 2014. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie called for a special election on November 4 (concurrent with the general election) to fill the remaining months of Andrews' term.

Radio personality and former NFL linebacker Garry Cobb and perennial candidate Lee Lucas ran in the Republican primary.

Democratic primary
Democratic state senator Donald Norcross ran to succeed Andrews. The brother of businessman and political boss George Norcross, Donald was the "heavy favorite" to win the seat. Shortly after declaring his candidacy, he had been endorsed by every Democratic member of New Jersey's congressional delegation as well as New Jersey Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney, New Jersey General Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald, Camden Mayor Dana Redd and former governor Jim Florio. Matthew Harris, who had been running against Andrews, had announced that he would continue his campaign against Norcross, but quickly withdrew, citing the "cascade of endorsements" for Norcross. Logan Township Mayor Frank Minor and Marine Corps veteran Frank Broomell also ran in the Democratic primary.

Nominee

 * Donald Norcross, state senator

Eliminated in primary

 * Frank Broomell, United States Marine Corps veteran
 * Frank Minor, mayor of Logan Township

Withdrew

 * Matthew Harris

Declined

 * Rob Andrews, former U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Garry Cobb, radio personality and ex-NFL player

Eliminated in primary

 * Claire Gustafson
 * Lee Lucas, former congressional and General Assembly candidate
 * Gerard McManus

Note: None of the Republican candidates filed for the special election to fill Congressman Rob Andrews' unexpired term.

District 2
The 2nd district is based in South Jersey and is the biggest congressional district in the state. It includes all of Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and Salem Counties and parts of Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Ocean counties.

Nominee

 * Frank LoBiondo, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Mike Assad, Absecon Board of Education member and candidate for this seat in 2012

Nominee

 * Bill Hughes, former federal prosecutor; son of former Congressman William J. Hughes

Eliminated in primary

 * David Cole, former White House aide and Barack Obama campaign staffer

Declined

 * Lou Greenwald, Majority Leader of the New Jersey General Assembly
 * Jeff Van Drew, state senator
 * Jim Whelan, state senator

District 3
The 3rd district is based in South Jersey and includes parts of Burlington and Ocean counties. Republican Jon Runyan, who had represented the district since 2011, retired, citing a desire to spend more time with his family.

Nominee

 * Tom MacArthur, former mayor of Randolph

Eliminated in primary

 * Steve Lonegan, former mayor of Bogota, candidate for governor in 2005 and 2009 and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2013

Withdrew

 * James Byrnes, president of Berkeley Township Council
 * Maurice Hill, retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral and Toms River Township Councilman
 * David W. Wolfe, state assemblyman

Declined

 * Randy Brown, Mayor of Evesham
 * Bruce Garganio, Burlington County Freeholder
 * John Giordano, Assistant Commissioner for Compliance and Enforcement at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
 * Jon Runyan, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Aimee Belgard, Burlington County Freeholder

Eliminated in primary

 * Howard Kleinhendler, corporate lawyer and nominee for New Jersey's 4th congressional district in 2010

Withdrew

 * Jack Fanous, co-founder and executive director of the G.I. Go Fund

Declined

 * Herb Conaway, state assemblyman
 * Troy Singleton, state assemblyman

District 4
The fourth district is represented by Republican Congressman Chris Smith. Ruben Scolavino, a criminal defense attorney and a former candidate for Monmouth County Sheriff, was endorsed by the Mercer, Monmouth, and Ocean County Democratic committees.

Nominee

 * Chris Smith, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Ruben Scolavino, criminal defense attorney and former candidate for Monmouth County Sheriff

District 5
Republican incumbent Scott Garrett won re-election in the fifth district in the 2012 House of Representatives elections. Redistricting made the district more competitive for members of the Democratic Party.

Nominee

 * Scott Garrett, incumbent U.S. Representative

Democratic primary
Roy Cho, a Democrat who has worked for the governor's office and Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, ran against the incumbent Garrett.

Nominee

 * Roy Cho, attorney, former congressional aide, and former gubernatorial aide

Eliminated in primary

 * Diane Sare, LaRouche movement activist, candidate for this seat in 2012, independent candidate for governor in 2013

Declined

 * Robert M. Gordon, state senator
 * Tracy Silna Zur, Bergen County Freeholder

Campaign
In the general election, the two largest newspapers in New Jersey both endorsed Cho. The Star-Ledger called Garrett "a retrograde culture warrior who wants to eliminate a woman's right to choose" and criticized his support for the 2013 budget sequester, which hurt New Jersey; by contrast, Cho is "a centrist who actually wants to govern." The Bergen Record criticized Garrett as "a dogmatic conservative who believes ideology trumps compromise" and agreed with Cho's call for a federal role in improving the region's transportation infrastructure.

District 6
The sixth district, represented by Democratic Congressman Frank Pallone, was considered a long-shot pick up opportunity for Republicans, but only if Pallone retired. Old Bridge attorney Anthony Wilkinson ran in the Republican primary.

Nominee

 * Frank Pallone, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Anthony Wilkinson, attorney

Withdrawn

 * Anna Little, former mayor of Highlands and nominee for this seat in 2010 & 2012

District 7
In the seventh district, incumbent Republican Congressman Leonard Lance faced a primary challenge from perennial challenger David Larsen.

Nominee

 * Leonard Lance, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * David Larsen, businessman and candidate for this seat in 2010 & 2012

Nominee

 * Janice Kovach, Mayor of Clinton and Secretary of the New Jersey Democratic Party

District 8
The eighth district is represented by Democratic Congressman Albio Sires.

Nominee

 * Albio Sires, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Jude-Anthony Tiscornia, attorney and State Assembly candidate in 2013

District 9
The ninth district is represented by Democratic Congressman Bill Pascrell.

Nominee

 * Bill Pascrell, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Dierdre Paul, college professor and State Assembly candidate in 2013

Withdrew

 * Michael Oren Epstein, attorney

District 10
The tenth district is represented by Democratic Congressman Donald Payne. Curtis Alphonzo Vaughn III, Robert Louis Toussaint, and Aaron Fraser also ran in the Democratic primary. Yolanda Dentley ran in the Republican primary.

Nominee

 * Donald Payne, Jr., incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Aaron Fraser
 * Robert Toussaint, independent candidate in 2010
 * Curtis Vaughn

Nominee

 * Yolanda Dentley, middle school vice principal

Candidates

 * Dark Angel, economics major and theater minor at Kean University

District 11
The 11th district is held by Republican Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen. Frelinghuysen and Rick Van Glahn ran in the Republican primary.

Nominee

 * Rodney Frelinghuysen, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Rick Van Glahn, home improvement contractor

Nominee

 * Mark Dunec, management consultant

Eliminated in primary

 * Lee Anne Brogowski
 * Brian Murphy

District 12
The 12th district is based in Central Jersey and includes parts of Mercer, Middlesex, Somerset and Union counties. The district is known for its research centers and educational institutions such as Princeton University, Institute for Advanced Study, Johnson & Johnson and Bristol-Myers Squibb. Democrat Rush D. Holt, Jr., who had represented the district since 1999, retired, leaving the seat open.

Nominee

 * Bonnie Watson Coleman, state assemblywoman and former chairwoman of the New Jersey Democratic Party

Eliminated in primary

 * Upendra J. Chivukula, Deputy Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly and nominee for New Jersey's 7th congressional district in 2012
 * Linda R. Greenstein, state senator
 * Andrew Zwicker, Princeton University plasma physicist

Declined

 * Daniel R. Benson, state assemblyman
 * Jun Choi, former mayor of Edison
 * Paula Covello, Mercer County clerk
 * Wayne DeAngelo, state assemblyman
 * Jerry Green, Speaker Pro Tempore of the New Jersey General Assembly
 * Reed Gusciora, state assemblyman
 * Rush D. Holt, Jr., incumbent U.S. Representative
 * Brian M. Hughes, Mercer County Executive and nominee for New Jersey's 4th congressional district in 1992
 * Colleen Mahr, Mayor of Fanwood
 * Jim McGreevey, former governor
 * Ed Potosnak, executive director of the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters and nominee for New Jersey's 7th congressional district in 2010
 * Linda Stender, state assemblywoman and nominee for New Jersey's 7th congressional district in 2006 and 2008
 * Shirley Turner, state senator

Nominee

 * Alieta Eck, former president of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, health care reform advocate and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2013

Declined

 * John Crowley, biotech executive and subject of the film Extraordinary Measures
 * Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff, New Jersey State Treasurer, former member of the New York City Council and former New York State Commissioner of Tax and Finance
 * Scott Sipprelle, venture capitalist and candidate for the seat in 2010