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New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District is currently represented by Republican Leonard Lance.
In the 2008 election, Mike Ferguson did not seek another term. Stender won the Democratic nomination unopposed, while Republican primary voters chose State Senator Leonard Lance in a field of eight candidates. In the 2008 general election, Lance defeated Assemblywoman Linda Stender by a margin of 25,833 votes and became the Congressman.[1]
[edit] Counties and municipalities in the district
For the 108th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2000 Census), the district contains portions of four counties and 54 municipalities.
Hunterdon County:
- Alexandria Township, Bethlehem Township, Bloomsbury, Califon, Clinton, Clinton Township, Flemington, Glen Gardner, Hampton, High Bridge, Holland Township, Lebanon, Lebanon Township, Milford, Raritan Township, Readington, Tewksbury Township, Union Township
Middlesex County:
- Edison (part), South Plainfield, Woodbridge Township (part)
Somerset County:
- Bedminster Township, Bernardsville, Bound Brook, Branchburg Township, Bridgewater Township (part), Far Hills, Green Brook Township, Hillsborough Township, Manville, Millstone, Montgomery Township, North Plainfield, Peapack-Gladstone, Rocky Hill, South Bound Brook, Warren Township, Watchung
Union County:
- Berkeley Heights, Clark, Cranford, Fanwood, Garwood, Kenilworth, Linden (part), Mountainside, New Providence, Roselle Park, Scotch Plains, Springfield, Summit, Union Township (part), Westfield, Winfield
[edit] Voting
[edit] House of Representatives elections
[edit] Presidential elections
[edit] Representatives
| Representative |
Party |
Years |
District home |
Note |
| District created March 4, 1873 |
| Isaac W. Scudder |
Republican |
March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1875 |
Jersey City |
Retired |
| Augustus A. Hardenbergh |
Democratic |
March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1879 |
Jersey City |
Retired |
| Lewis A. Brigham |
Republican |
March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1881 |
Jersey City |
Lost re-election |
| Augustus A. Hardenbergh |
Democratic |
March 4, 1881 – March 3, 1883 |
Jersey City |
Retired |
| William McAdoo |
Democratic |
March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1891 |
Jersey City |
Lost re-nomination |
| Edward F. McDonald |
Democratic |
March 4, 1891 – November 5, 1892 |
Harrison |
Died in office |
| Vacant |
November 5, 1892 – March 3, 1893 |
| George B. Fielder |
Democratic |
March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1895 |
Jersey City |
Retired |
| Thomas McEwan, Jr. |
Republican |
March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1899 |
Jersey City |
Retired |
| William D. Daly |
Democratic |
March 4, 1899 – July 31, 1900 |
Hoboken |
Died in office |
| Vacant |
July 31, 1900 – December 3, 1900 |
| Allan L. McDermott |
Democratic |
December 3, 1900 – March 3, 1903 |
Jersey City |
Redistricted to the 10th district |
| Richard W. Parker |
Republican |
March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1911 |
Newark |
Redistricted from the 6th district |
| Edward W. Townsend |
Democratic |
March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1913 |
Montclair |
Redistricted to the 10th district |
| Robert G. Bremner |
Democratic |
March 4, 1913 – February 5, 1914 |
Totowa |
Died in office |
| Vacant |
February 5, 1914 – April 7, 1914 |
| Dow H. Drukker |
Republican |
April 7, 1914 – March 3, 1919 |
Passaic |
Retired |
| Amos H. Radcliffe |
Republican |
March 4, 1919 – March 3, 1923 |
Paterson |
Lost re-election |
| George N. Seger |
Republican |
March 4, 1923 – March 3, 1933 |
Passaic |
Redistricted to the 8th district |
| Randolph Perkins |
Republican |
March 4, 1933 – May 25, 1936 |
Woodcliff Lake |
Died in office |
| Vacant |
May 25, 1936 – January 3, 1937 |
| J. Parnell Thomas |
Republican |
January 3, 1937 – January 2, 1950 |
Allendale |
Resigned upon being convicted of fraud |
| Vacant |
January 2, 1950 – February 6, 1950 |
| William B. Widnall |
Republican |
February 6, 1950 – December 31, 1974 |
Hackensack |
Lost re-election, resigned |
| Andrew Maguire |
Democratic |
January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1981 |
Ridgewood |
Lost re-election |
| Marge Roukema |
Republican |
January 3, 1981 – January 3, 1983 |
Ridgewood |
Redistricted to the 5th district |
| Matthew J. Rinaldo |
Republican |
January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1993 |
Union Township |
Retired |
| Bob Franks |
Republican |
January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2001 |
Summit |
Retired to run for U.S. Senate |
| Mike Ferguson |
Republican |
January 3, 2001 – January 3, 2009 |
Warren |
Retired |
| Leonard Lance |
Republican |
January 3, 2009 – present |
Clinton Township |
|
[edit] 2006 Election
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes Won |
Percent Won |
| Republican |
Ferguson (Incumbent) |
98,399 votes |
49.42% |
| Democrat |
Stender |
95,454 votes |
47.94% |
| Other |
Abrams |
3,176 votes |
1.59% |
| Libertarian |
Young |
2,046 votes |
1.02% |
Source: NJ Division of Elections. Official 2006 Election Results.[1].
[edit] Major Issues in 2006 Race
Linda Stender campaigned on the issues of stem cell research and the Iraq War, while Mike Ferguson campaigned on the issues of Ms. Stender's prior legislative record and her close ties to New Jersey's Democratic political machine.
[edit] Effect of redistricting
New Jersey's 7th district and the 12th district were redistricted after the 2000 census by a bipartisan panel. By consensus of the panel, the Democratic and Republican parties agreed to trade areas in the two districts to make them safer for their respective incumbents. It is likely that this trade off, which made New Jersey's 7th less competitive for Democrats had an effect on the outcome of 2006 election, which was decided by approximately 3,000 votes. Areas of the former 7th district such as Somerset in Franklin Township (Somerset County) that have historically voted reliably Democratic were moved into the 12th district to shore up the Democratic incumbent's hold on the adjacent 12th district. Despite the redistricting, NJ-07 is still the most competitive House district in New Jersey, and was the only one considered to be in play in 2006 by political pundits.
[edit] References
