1982 United States Senate election in New Jersey

1982 United States Senate election in New Jersey

← 1976 November 2, 1982 1988 →

Nominee Frank Lautenberg Millicent Fenwick Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,117,549 1,047,626 Percentage 50.94% 47.75%

County results Congressional district results[a] Lautenberg:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Fenwick:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Nicholas F. Brady Republican Elected U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg Democratic

Elections in New Jersey
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v t e

The 1982 United States Senate election in New Jersey was held on November 2, 1982.

The seat was effectively vacated by the resignation of Harrison Williams amid scandal in March; his appointed successor, Nicholas F. Brady, did not run.

Democratic businessman Frank Lautenberg won the seat in a major upset, defeating a large field of eight Democratic candidates and Republican Millicent Fenwick, a popular, well-known U.S. Representative. Lautenberg's campaign was largely self-funded and overcame early polling leads for Fenwick by outspending her 2-to-1 and emphasizing the persistently poor economic conditions under Republican President Ronald Reagan and the conservative Congress.
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