1993 New Jersey gubernatorial election
November 2, 1993
 
Nominee Christine Todd Whitman James Florio
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 1,236,124 1,210,031
Percentage 49.3% 48.3%
Whitman:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
Florio:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
Governor before election

James Florio
Democratic

 Elected Governor

Christine Todd Whitman
Republican

The 1993 New Jersey gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1993. Incumbent Democratic Governor James Florio was narrowly defeated by Republican former Somerset County freeholder and 1990 U.S. Senate nominee Christine Todd Whitman. Primary elections were held on June 8, 1993. In the Democratic primary, Governor Florio's only challenger, anti-tax activist John Budzash, was disqualified from the ballot due to invalid petition signatures. In the Republican primary, Whitman defeated W. Cary Edwards and James Wallwork.

Florio's defeat followed backlash from voters against his administration's tax increases. Whitman became the first and to date only female governor in the history of New Jersey.[1]

Background

1989 election

In the 1989 New Jersey gubernatorial election, Florio--then a U.S. representative--defeated Republican U.S. Representative Jim Courter by a wide margin.[2] Previously, Florio had unsuccessfully challenged Democratic incumbent governor Brendan Byrne in 1977[3][4] and had lost the 1981 gubernatorial election to Republican Thomas Kean.[5]

During his 1989 campaign, Florio said, "You can write this statement down: 'Florio feels there is no need for new taxes'".[6] In 1990, Florio signed a $2.8 billion tax increase into law.[7]

Florio administration

The centerpiece of the Florio administration's legislative agenda was a $2.8 billion increase in tax revenues, which one consultant identified "the largest single tax increase in the history of the finances of the 50 states" and "a national test case on both political and economic grounds."[8] The tax increase was highly unpopular, leading to non-partisan protests throughout the state. The Florio administration adopted a wait-and-see approach, hoping that protests would desist once the legislative package delivered benefits in the form of rebate checks, lower auto insurance rates, and increased funding for education.[8]

Two other major legislative achievements were a popular gun control measure targeted at "assault-style weapons"[9][10][11] and the Quality Education Act, which set new standards for public schools and set strict spending caps on local school boards.[12][13]

1990 United States Senate election

By fall 1990, Florio's approval rating sank to 18 percent; it would not exceed the low twenties until 1992.[14]

The political impact of the anti-Florio "tax revolt" manifested in November 1990, when incumbent United States Senator Bill Bradley was nearly unseated by Christine Todd Whitman. During her campaign, Whitman repeatedly asked Bradley for his position on the increase, but he demurred, calling it a state issue.[15][14] Whitman's underdog near-victory endeared her to the Republican voter base and made her a symbol of opposition to Florio.[16]

1991 midterm elections

Republicans centered their 1991 legislative campaign on opposition to the Florio tax increase, as did even some incumbent Democrats, such as Senator Paul Contillo.[10] Florio also faced backlash from the National Rifle Association, which spent nearly $250,000 targeting candidates in both parties who had voted in favor of the bill and supporting those who pledged to repeal it,[9][17] and the New Jersey Education Association, which had supported Florio in 1989 but endorsed almost exclusively Republican candidates in response to the education spending caps.[12][13]

The result was a resounding Republican victory in the 1991 elections. The Republicans gained ten seats in the State Senate (controlling the chamber for the first time since 1974) and 21 seats in the General Assembly. Both houses won veto-proof Republican majorities, which may have drawn political pressure off Florio for the remainder of his term. Florio's approval ratings began to rebound as the Republican legislature was given a share of the blame for the state's budgetary dysfunction.

Democratic primary

Candidates

  • Jim Florio, incumbent governor

Disqualified

  • John Budzash, anti-tax protestor

Florio was unopposed in the June primary election. Former Howell Township postal worker, John Budzash, originally filed to run against Florio in the primary. Budzash, who switched his party registration from Republican to Democratic one day before the filing deadline, led Hands Across New Jersey, a citizens group that protested the state tax increases.[18] He was removed following a complaint from then-state party chair Raymond Lesniak alleging that many of his petition signatures were invalid.[19]

Results

Democratic primary results[20]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic James Florio (incumbent) 200,420 100.00
Total votes 200,420 100.00

Republican primary

Background

Following W. Cary Edwards's loss to Jim Courter in the 1989 primary, Edwards was seen as the natural favorite for the 1993 nomination. He was a key member of the popular Thomas Kean administration, first as general counsel and then as state Attorney General. However, his path to the nomination became complicated by Christine Todd Whitman's 1990 campaign for United States Senate. Her underdog two-point loss endeared her to the party base and made her the leading public advocate of the anti-tax cause.[16]

Whitman continued to build her profile by founding a political action committee, the Committee for an Affordable New Jersey, through which she campaigned for Republican candidates in the 1991 midterm elections.[21] Whitman took on a full campaign speaking schedule through October 1992 and worked to distance herself from veteran consultant Roger Stone after Stone facilitated a primary challenge to State Senator William Gormley, a potential 1993 opponent.[22]

Candidates

Withdrew

  • Charles P. Hoffman, business consultant[23] (withdrew May 6, endorsed Wallwork)[24]

Declined

  • William Gormley, state senator from Mays Landing and candidate for governor in 1989[22]
  • Thomas Kean, former governor of New Jersey

Campaign

The primary campaign was marked by negative exchanges between the three strongest candidates and Whitman's clear status as the front-runner throughout.[25][16]

Illegal alien hiring controversy

The campaign began as a two-candidate race between Christine Whitman and Cary Edwards. Polling suggested that either would beat Governor Florio but that Whitman was generally the stronger of the two. In February, responding to national controversy over nominee for U.S. Attorney General Zoë Baird's hiring of illegal aliens in violation of federal law, both candidates voluntarily disclosed that they had done so too and failed to required taxes or fines. The revelation dramatically weakened both campaigns; seventy percent of voters said the admission was very or somewhat serious.[26][27]

Soon after, former state senator James Wallwork declared his candidacy as a conservative alternative to Whitman and Edwards,[28][16] tapping into populist unrest. Like H. Ross Perot and Jerry Brown had during the 1992 presidential campaign, Wallwork offered voters a toll-free number they could call to directly propose positions. Wallwork, who had last cut a political figure in a 1981 campaign for governor, said his campaign would be about "people taking back their government."[29]

In the final weeks of the campaign, Whitman ran advertisements presenting herself as a candidate for change but not mentioning her opponents or Governor Florio by name.[30] Edwards attacked both Whitman in Florio in his advertisements, while Wallwork focused on painting Whitman as "liberal" and ran an ad stating that she had voted to raise taxes 17 times as Somerset Freeholder.[30] In the final week of the campaign, Whitman began running negative advertisements as well.[16]

A large portion of the campaign was focused on winning over the 522,000 New Jerseyans who had voted for H. Ross Perot in the 1992 presidential campaign. Perot remained popular in the state; on the final weekend of the campaign, he hosted a get-out-the-vote rally which all three candidates attended.[16]

Debates

The three major candidates participated in at least six debates[30] and two mandatory televised debates.[25]

By May 11, Whitman was the heavy favorite entering the first televised debate in Whippany; her campaign claimed no less than a double-digit lead over both opponents.[25] At the debate, all three candidates agreed in their opposition to the Florio tax increase but disagreed over how to repeal it. Edwards called for a new popularly elected office of Auditor to evaluate potential budget cuts, while Wallwork and Whitman argued that the powerful line-item veto allowed the governor to do so immediately.[25] Whitman also attacked Edwards for a nine percent increase in crime during his tenure as Attorney General, a preemptive rebuttal to Edwards's accusation that she was soft on crime.[25]

The second televised debate on May 26 was focused on business issues and was less contentious; the candidates mostly agreed on automobile insurance reform, managed health care, unemployment, pollution legislation and sports betting.[30] At one point, during an exchange on unemployment, Edwards accused Whitman of not understanding the plight of the unemployed, saying "At least I have had a job in my life." Whitman demanded an apology for this and an earlier comment in which Edwards, during a two-person debate with Wallwork, said he "resented" running against a woman.[30] Edwards declined to apologize and later accused Whitman of "setting him up."[30] Another disagreement came over private school vouchers; Whitman supported them while Edwards was opposed and Wallwork deferred to a public referendum.[30]

Two non-televised debates were hosted by Perot supporters under the banner of "United We Stand." All three candidates attended the first but only Edwards and Wallwork attended the second.[16]

Endorsements

List of W. Cary Edwards endorsements
List of James Wallwork endorsements
List of Christine Todd Whitman endorsements
Individuals
Did not endorse
Governors

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 W. Cary
Edwards		 Christine
Todd Whitman		 James
Wallwork		 Other/Undecided
The Record[33] March 9–19, 1993 227 LV ±6.5% 8% 28% 2% 62%
Asbury Park Press/Courier-Post[34] April 2–4, 1993 630 A ±3.9% 14% 30% 4% 52%
The Record[35] April 25–May 3, 1993 208 LV ±7.0% 14% 41% 5% 37%
KYW-TV[36] May 28–June 1, 1993 245 LV ±6.7% 23% 37% 18% 22%

Results

Republican primary results by county
  Todd Whitman
  •   30–40%
  •   40–50%
  •   50–60%
  Edwards
  •   30–40%
  •   40–50%
  Wallwork
  •   30–40%
Republican Party primary results[20]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Christine Todd Whitman 159,765 39.96%
Republican W. Cary Edwards 131,578 32.91%
Republican James Wallwork 96,034 24.02%
Republican Charles P. Hoffman (withdrawn) 6,695 1.67%
Republican J. Patrick Gilligan 5,753 1.44%
Total votes 399,825 100.00

General election

Candidates

Campaign

Florio had become unpopular due to his 1990 $2.8-billion tax increase.[38] As a result of the tax increase, Republicans were swept into both houses of the Legislature in 1991. A 1990 bill that was signed into law banning assault weapons was used against Florio in advertisements by the National Rifle Association.[38] A proposal by Whitman to cut income taxes by 30% over three years was met with skepticism from voters.[39]

Polling

Polling for the election mostly showed that Florio would be reelected. Polls conducted within a few weeks of the election by The Star-Ledger, The New York Times, the Record of Hackensack, and Rutgers-Eagleton showed Florio besting Whitman by at least eight points.[39] The final poll released before the election, however was conducted by the Asbury Park Press and showed a 38-38 tie with 22% undecided,[40] and undecided and independent voters tended towards Whitman at the time of the election.[39]

Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 Jim
Florio (D)		 Christine Todd
Whitman (R)		 Undecided
The Record[41] August 26–29, 1991 526 LV ±4.5% 27% 52% 21%
Asbury Park Press[42] January 1993 672 A ±4.4% 30% 36% 34%
The Record[33] March 9–19, 1993 610 LV ±4.0% 39% 30% 31%
Asbury Park Press[34] April 2–4, 1993 630 A ±3.9% 36% 45% 19%
The Record[35] April 25–May 3, 1993 802 LV ±3.5% 38% 34% 28%
KYW-TV[36] May 28–June 1, 1993 811 RV ±3.5% 37% 43% 20%
Rutgers-Eagleton June 10–16, 1993 642 RV ±3.5% 48% 43% 9%
The Record[43] June 27–July 1, 1993 889 LV ±3.5% 39% 38% 23%
Asbury Park Press/[44] August 12–14, 1993 683 LV ±3.8% 37% 38% 25%
The Record[45] September 7–12, 1993 606 LV ±4.5% 43% 43% 14%
Asbury Park Press[46] September 9–12, 1993 652 LV ±3.8% 42% 36% 22%
Rutgers-Eagleton September 10–15, 1993 584 LV ±4.0% 47% 38% 15%
The New York Times/WCBS-TV[47] September 20–26, 1993 804 RV ±4.0% 51% 30% 19%
Asbury Park Press[48] Sep. 30–Oct. 2, 1993 545 LV ±4.3% 47% 34% 19%
The Record[49] Sep. 30–Oct. 3, 1993 754 RV ±4.0% 50% 37% 13%
The New York Times/WCBS-TV October 9–11, 1993 925 RV ±3.0% 49% 34% 17%
Rutgers-Eagleton October 11–14, 1993 577 LV ±4.0% 52% 40% 8%
Asbury Park Press[50] October 21–23, 1993 810 RV ±3.8% 45% 40% 15%
The Record[51] October 24–27, 1993 703 LV ±4.0% 51% 41% 8%
Rutgers-Eagleton October 27–29, 1993 601 LV ±3.5% 48% 39% 13%
Asbury Park Press[52] October 28–30, 1993 1,072 RV ±3.0% 38% 38% 22%
Hypothetical polling
with Edwards
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 Jim
Florio (D)		 W. Cary
Edwards (R)		 Undecided
Asbury Park Press/Courier-Post[42] January 1993 672 A ±4.4% 31% 32% 37%
The Record[33] March 9–19, 1993 610 LV ±4.0% 40% 25% 35%
Asbury Park Press[34] April 2–4, 1993 630 A ±3.9% 31% 40% 29%
KYW-TV[36] May 28–June 1, 1993 811 RV ±3.5% 34% 38% 28%
with Wallwork
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 Jim
Florio (D)		 James
Wallwork (R)		 Undecided
Asbury Park Press[34] April 2–4, 1993 630 A ±3.9% 33% 36% 31%
KYW-TV[36] May 28–June 1, 1993 811 RV ±3.5% 35% 37% 28%

Results

1993 New Jersey gubernatorial election[53][54]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Christine Todd Whitman 1,236,124 49.33% Increase12.12
Democratic James Florio (incumbent) 1,210,031 48.29% Decrease12.94
Independent Pat Daly 10,071 0.40% N/A
Libertarian Kenneth R. Kaplan 7,935 0.32% Decrease 0.26
Conservative Tom Blomquist 5,164 0.21% N/A
Independent Joseph Marion 4,311 0.17% N/A
Independent Richary J. Lynch 4,030 0.16% N/A
Independent Alene S. Ammond 3,330 0.13% N/A
Independent Tim Feeney 3,306 0.13% N/A
Independent Michael R. Scully 3,209 0.13% N/A
Independent Pete DiLauro 3,009 0.12% N/A
Independent Marilyn Arons 2,884 0.12% N/A
Populist John L. Kucek 2,822 0.11% N/A
Independent Tom Fuscaldo 2,314 0.09% Decrease 0.22
Independent Michael Ziruolo 2,127 0.08% Decrease 0.37
Independent Andrew J. Zemel 1,530 0.06% N/A
Independent Andrea Lippi 1,294 0.05% N/A
Socialist Workers Mark J. Rahn 1,242 0.05% Decrease 0.23
Independent Jerry T. Grant 1,231 0.05% N/A
Plurality 26,093 1.04%
Turnout 2,505,964
Republican gain from Democratic Swing

Notes

  1. ↑ Only top two candidates

References

  1. ↑ "So-called Progressive NJ has Still Only had One Woman Governor Amid a Sea of White Males". Insider NJ. October 21, 2021.
  2. ↑ Depalma, Anthony (March 3, 1990). "Courter Won't Run for House Again". The New York Times.
  3. ↑ "Results of the Primary Election Held June 7, 1977" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. 1977. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  4. ↑ Wildstein, David (June 6, 2021). "Five N.J. governors have avoided re-election primaries and Murphy is one of them". NewJerseyGlobe.com.
  5. ↑ Mueller, Karin Price (November 3, 2021). "The tightest N.J. governor's race ever came down to 1,797 votes. Will Murphy-Ciattarelli be closer?". NJ.com.
  6. ↑ Kelly, Mike (May 11, 2018). "Former NJ Gov. Jim Florio's message to Gov. Phil Murphy on raising taxes: Just do it". NorthJersey.com.
  7. ↑ Brownstein, Ronald (November 1, 1993). "Voters Seem Dissatisfied, Uncertain on Election Eve : Campaigns: Gubernatorial, mayoral posts at stake. No sweeping winds of change gauged in off-year races". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 16, 2015.
  8. 1 2 King, Wayne (July 23, 1990). "Florio Faces Growing Anti-Tax Storm in New Jersey". The New York Times. pp. B1. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  9. 1 2 Gray, Jerry (February 28, 1993). "N.R.A. Makes Beating Florio Its Prime Issue". The New York Times. p. 33. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  10. 1 2 Sullivan, Joseph F. (November 1, 1991). "Focus Is on a Few Close Races for New Jersey Legislature". The New York Times. pp. B1. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  11. ↑ King, Wayne (August 23, 1992). "N.R.A. Is Politically Armed and, to Florio, Dangerous". The New York Times. p. 43. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  12. 1 2 King, Wayne (September 1, 1991). "Teachers Flunk Democrats (And Vice Versa) in Jersey". The New York Times. pp. R5. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  13. 1 2 Weisman, Jonathan (October 23, 1991). "Shift in Education Politics Seen in N.J. Election Battle". Education Week. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  14. 1 2 Russakoff, Dale (April 12, 1993). "THE GOV WHOSE TIME HAS COME". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  15. ↑ Sullivan, Joseph F. (June 3, 1991). "New Jersey Primary Offers Outlet for Voter Tax Anger". The New York Times. pp. B2. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Gray, Jerry (June 5, 1993). "In New Jersey Governor's Primary, Candidates Court Perot's Backers". The New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  17. ↑ King, Wayne (August 23, 1992). "N.R.A. Is Politically Armed and, to Florio, Dangerous". The New York Times.
  18. ↑ Enda, Jodi (April 16, 1993). "Florio Gets An Opponent For Primary John L. Budzash Co-founded Hands Across New Jersey. He Had Just Registered As A Democrat". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  19. ↑ Gray, Jerry (April 22, 1993). "Ruling Is Likely to Take Florio Rival Off Ballot". The New York Times. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  20. 1 2 "Gubernatorial Primary Election Results for Election Held on June 8, 1993" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. 1993. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  21. ↑ Pieretti, Fred (March 14, 1991). "GOP'S Christine Whitman helps party, herself with new group". The Vineland Daily Journal. p. 3. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  22. 1 2 Conohan, Sherry (August 11, 1991). "Whitman helps get GOP's, and her own, message out". Asbury Park Press. p. 3. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  23. 1 2 Enda, Jodi (June 8, 1993). "Judgment Day For Gop As Voters Pick An Opponent For Gov. Florio In Camden, There Is A Primary For Mayor And Council. Counties Are Picking Freeholder Nominees. And Every Senate And Assembly Seat Is Up For Grabs". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  24. 1 2 Romano, Jay (May 16, 1993). "An Admitted Long Shot, Gilligan Shows Optimism". The New York Times. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 Gray, Jerry (May 12, 1993). "Sharply and Loudly, G.O.P. Rivals Debate". The New York Times. p. B4. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  26. ↑ "Whitman, Edwards in trouble, voters say". The Morristown Daily Record. February 9, 1993. p. 1. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  27. ↑ Chambers, Steve (February 9, 1993). "Alien hires hurting hopefuls". Asbury Park Press. p. 1. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  28. ↑ Romano, Jay (May 16, 1993). "Campaigning With Jim Wallwork". The New York Times. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  29. ↑ Kiely, Eugene (February 24, 1993). "Using telephone to shape campaign". The Record. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  30. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Gray, Jerry (May 27, 1993). "3 Florio Foes Hold 2d G.O.P. Debate". The New York Times. p. B7. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  31. ↑ Howard Gets a Highway Rest Stop Named After Him (1995), retrieved July 2, 2022
  32. ↑ Sullivan, Joseph S. (June 5, 1993). "3 Candidates Striving to Leave No Republican Unturned". The New York Times. p. B5. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  33. 1 2 3 "POLL: Majority would vote for Florio over his GOP rivals". The Record. March 24, 1993. p. 6. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  34. 1 2 3 4 "Poll finds GOP voters confused, but anti-Florio". Courier Post. April 11, 1993. p. 3. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  35. 1 2 "POLL: Whitman campaign picks up steam as Florio's stalls". The Record. May 9, 1993. p. 8. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  36. 1 2 3 4 "POLL: Whitman pulls away as GOP gains strength". The Bridgewater Courier-News. June 4, 1993. p. 2. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  37. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Preston, David Lee (October 29, 1993). "Now, For Someone Completely Different Hearing The Many Other Voices For Governor: Ammond To Ziruolo". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  38. 1 2 Brownstein, Ronald (November 1, 1993). "Voters Seem Dissatisfied, Uncertain on Election Eve : Campaigns: Gubernatorial, mayoral posts at stake. No sweeping winds of change gauged in off-year races". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  39. 1 2 3 Mondics, Chris (November 4, 1993). "N.J. Pollsters Regroup And Try To Figure Out What Went Wrong". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  40. ↑ Jackson, Herb (November 3, 1993). "Whitman Rips Pollsters Who Failed To Predict Her Victory With AM-Elections RDP, BJT". Associated Press. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  41. ↑ "Poll: 66% say they would vote against Florio". The Record. September 8, 1991. p. 16. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  42. 1 2 "Florio trails opponents in poll results". Courier-Post. January 19, 1993. p. 3. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  43. ↑ "Poll: New Jersey governor's race is statistical dead heat". The Record. July 7, 1993. p. 4. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
  44. ↑ McGowan, John T. (August 22, 1993). "Poll: New Jersey governor's race is statistical dead heat". Courier-Post. p. 3. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
  45. ↑ "Florio, Whitman tied in poll". The Record. September 19, 1993. p. 12. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  46. ↑ "Florio grabs lead from Whitman". Daily Record. September 20, 1993. p. 3. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
  47. ↑ "Florio up by 21 in poll". Asbury Park Press. September 30, 1993. p. 6. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  48. ↑ "Florio doubles lead in latest Press survey". Asbury Park Press. October 7, 1993. p. 1. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
  49. ↑ "Poll: Ads help Florio jump to wide lead over Whitman". The Record. October 6, 1993. p. 10. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  50. ↑ "New poll: Whitman gaining quickly". Courier News. October 24, 1993. p. 1. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
  51. ↑ "Florio up 10 points in home stretch". The Record. October 31, 1993. p. 1. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
  52. ↑ De Masters, Karen (October 31, 1993). "Whitman, Florio tied, poll shows". Asbury Park Press. p. 1. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
  53. ↑ "Official List – Gubernatorial General Election Returns for Election Held November 2, 1993" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. 1993. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  54. ↑ Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey (2004 ed.). Lawyers Diary and Manual, LLC. 1900. p. 493. ISBN 9781577411871. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
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