United States Senate election in New Jersey, 2000
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The 2000 United States Senate election in New Jersey was held on November 7, 2000. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg decided to retire, instead of seeking a fourth term. Democrat nominee, former CEO of Goldman Sachs Jon Corzine defeated Republican nominee, U.S. Congressman Bob Franks, in a close election. In January 2006, Corzine resigned from the Senate to become Governor of New Jersey.
Democratic primary [edit]
Candidates [edit]
Campaign [edit]
Corzine spent $35 million of his fortunes into this primary election alone.[1][2]
Results [edit]
Republican primary [edit]
Candidates [edit]
Results [edit]
General election [edit]
Candidates [edit]
- Bruce Afran (Green)
- Dennis A. Breen (Independent)
- J.M. Carter (Trust In God)
- Pat DiNizio (Reform)
- Emerson Ellett (Libertarian)
- George Gostigian (God Bless NJ)
- Lorraine LaNeve (Conservative)
- Gregory Pason (Socialist)
- Nancy Rosenstock (Socialist Workers)
Campaign [edit]
Franks, a moderate Republican,[6] attacked Corzine for "trying to buy the election and of advocating big-government spending programs that the nation can ill afford." Corzine accused Franks of wanting to dismantle the Social Security system because he supported Governor George W. Bush's partial privatization plan.[7]
During the campaign, Corzine refused to release his income tax return records. He claimed an interest in doing so, but he cited a confidentiality agreement with Goldman Sachs. Skeptics argued that he should have followed the example of his predecessor Robert Rubin, who converted his equity stake into debt upon leaving Goldman.[8]
Corzine campaigned for state government programs including universal health care, universal gun registration, mandatory public preschool, and more taxpayer funding for college education.[9][10] He pushed affirmative action and same-sex marriage.[11] David Brooks considered Corzine so liberal that although his predecessor was also a Democrat, his election helped shift the Senate to the left.[12]
During Corzine's campaign for the United States Senate, he made some controversial off-color statements. When introduced to a man with an Italian name who said he was in the construction business, Corzine quipped: “Oh, you make cement shoes!" according to Emanuel Alfano, chairman of the Italian-American One Voice Committee. Alfano also reported that when introduced to a lawyer named David Stein, Corzine said: "He's not Italian, is he? Oh, I guess he's your Jewish lawyer who is here to get the rest of you out of jail."[13] Corzine denied mentioning religion, but did not deny the quip about Italians, claiming that some of his own ancestors were probably Italian,[14] or maybe French.[15]
Also in 2000, Corzine denied having paid off African-American ministers, when in fact the foundation controlled by him and his wife had paid one influential black church $25,000.[16] Rev. Reginald T. Jackson, director of the Black Ministers Council, had campaigned against a form of racial profiling whereby police officers stop minority drivers and had gotten New Jersey state police superintendent, Carl A. Williams, fired. Corzine had donated to Jackson prior to getting what appears to be a reciprocal endorsement.[17]
Franks generally trailed Corzine in the polls until the very last week, when he pulled even in a few polls. Corzine spent $63 million, while Franks spent only $6 million.[18] Despite being heavily outspent, Franks lost by only three percentage points, doing better that year than Republican Governor George W. Bush in the presidential election, who obtained just 40% of the vote in the state.[19]
Results [edit]
| General election results[20] |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
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Democratic |
Jon Corzine |
1,511,237 |
50.11 |
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Republican |
Bob Franks |
1,420,267 |
47.10 |
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Green |
Bruce Afran |
32,841 |
1.09 |
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Reform |
Pat DiNizio |
19,312 |
0.64 |
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Libertarian |
Emerson Ellett |
7,241 |
0.24 |
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Independent |
Dennis A. Breen |
6,061 |
0.20 |
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Trust in God |
J.M. Carter |
5,657 |
0.19 |
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Conservative |
Lorraine LaNeve |
3,836 |
0.13 |
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Socialist |
Gregory Pason |
3,365 |
0.11 |
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Socialist Workers |
Nancy Rosenstock |
3,309 |
0.11 |
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God Bless Jersey |
George Gostigian |
2,536 |
0.08 |
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| Majority |
90,970 |
3.01 |
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| Turnout |
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Democratic hold |
Swing |
{{{swing}}} |
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References [edit]
- ^ Halbfinger, David M. (October 13, 2000). "Franks Accuses Corzine of Trying To Buy His Way Into Senate Seat". The New York Times.
- ^ "Franks and Corzine Debate Race, Education and Disclosure". The New York Times. October 13, 2000.
- ^ http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=18313
- ^ http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=13740
- ^ http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=18313
- ^ http://diplomatdc.wordpress.com/2010/04/11/former-rep-bob-franks-dies-at-58-lost-u-s-senate-race-but-ideas-triumphed-by-gregory-hilton/
- ^ "Franks Accuses Corzine of Trying To Buy His Way Into Senate Seat". The New York Times. October 13, 2000.
- ^ "The High Price Of Chutzpah: Cheney And Corzine May Be Pushing The Ethical Envelope On Conflict-Of-Interest Rules. That's More Than Daring—It's -Just Plain Galling". Newsweek. Newsweek, Inc. August 28, 2000. Retrieved July 19, 2008.
- ^ Derer, Mike (June 7, 2000). "Who Wants to Vote for a Multimillionaire?". Time (Time Inc.). Retrieved July 17, 2008.
- ^ Morse, Jodie, Nadya Labi, and Michel Orecklin (November 20, 2000). "New Faces In The Senate". Time (Time Inc.). Retrieved July 18, 2008.
- ^ Hosenball, Mark (June 12, 2000). "The New Jersey Purchase: Jon Corzine's $36 Million Campaign For The Senate". Newsweek. Newsweek, Inc. Retrieved July 19, 2008.
- ^ Brooks, David (December 25, 2000). "Surviving The Coming Clash: With The Left Feeling Frisky, Conservatives Need To Watch Their Step If They Want To Have Their Way. It's Time To Be Patient.". Newsweek. Newsweek, Inc. Retrieved July 20, 2008.
- ^ Halbfinger, David M. (March 30, 2000). "Corzine Assailed for Joke About Italian-Americans". New York Times. Retrieved July 29, 2008.
- ^ Adubato, Steve. "Good Faith Politics". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved July 20, 2008.
- ^ Peterson, Iver (April 9, 2000). "Around Jon Corzine's Roots, a Casual Indifference to Ethnicity". The New York Times (The New York Times Company). Retrieved July 20, 2008.
- ^ Ingle pp. 62–63.
- ^ Jacob, Andrew (September 20, 2000). "Black Minister Criticized for Taking Corzine's Money". New York Times (The New York Times Company). Retrieved August 27, 2008. [dead link]
- ^ Cardwell, Diane (April 10, 2010). "Robert Franks, Former New Jersey Congressman, Dies". The New York Times.
- ^ Newman, Maria (November 10, 2000). "After His Defeat, Franks Looks to the Future". The New York Times.
- ^ http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/2000/2000Stat.htm
