Senators don't usually lose primaries
By Wally EdgeIn New Jersey, incumbent United States Senators have rarely faced competitive primary challenges, and the only incumbent Senator to lose a primary was Clifford Case, a four-term Republican who lost 50.7%-49.3% to conservative Jeffrey Bell, a former speechwriter for Ronald Reagan’s 1976 presidential campaign. Case had faced primary challenges from the right before: Robert Morris, who had been Chief Counsel for Senate Internal Security Subcommittee headed by Joseph McCarthy, won 33% in 1960; and James Walter Ralph, a Bergen County physician, received 30% in 1972.
In 1970, incumbent Harrison Williams faced a Democratic primary challenge from Frank Guarini, then a State Senator from Hudson County. Williams won 66%-34%; eight years later, Guarini was elected to Congress.
One of the fiercest primaries in state history was in 1924, when Republican National Committeeman Hamilton Kean challenged Walter Edge, a former Governor who was completing his first term in the Senate. Edge won, 57%-43%, and Kean went on to win an open seat four years later.
Contributors
Wally Edge
South Jersey Democrats are touting Cinnaminson native Anthony Mazzarelli, the head of the emergency medicine department at Cooper University ... >
Bob Torricelli
Everybody needs to start a new job with a list of priorities and Chris Christie is no exception. There might be a thousand things that need to get ... >
Michael Patrick Carroll
Political discourse in America contains much in the way of intellect or intellectual honesty. One considers the Federalist Papers with wistful awe: ... >
Jeff Michaels
The NJ gubernatorial election result demonstrates that Governor-elect Chris Christie resurrected the center-right voter coalition of Republicans, ... >
Richard LaRossa
With a convincing win in defeating an encumbent Governor, why were there no coattails? >
Alan Steinberg
As in any transition, speculation is rampant as to whom Governor-elect Chris Christie will appoint as Chief of Staff, State Treasurer, and Attorney ... >
Dr. Joseph Marbach
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Carla Katz
When he was growing up, Chris Christie's folks must have taught him that when he went to a new playground, he should pick a fight with the ... >
Joey Novick
Ronald C. Rice tweeted not so sweetly about soon-to-be Senate President Stephen Sweeney.
Well, we were able to obtain the rest of the ... >
Murray Sabrin
New Jersey voters repudiated Governor Jon Corzine's policies of the past four years on November 3rd. Republican Chris Christie and Independent ... >
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"An Irish wake." -- New Jersey Sierra Club director Jeff Tittell, on Senate President Richard Codey's party in Atlantic City.
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