United States Senate election in New Jersey, 2012

November 6, 2012



Nominee	Bob Menendez	Joseph Kyrillos
Party	Democratic	Republican
Popular vote	1,987,680	1,329,534
Percentage	7001588700000000000♠58.87%	7001393700000000000♠39.37%

County results

U.S. Senator before election

Bob Menendez
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Bob Menendez
Democratic

The 2012 United States Senate election in New Jersey took place on November 6, 2012, concurrently with the 2012 U.S. presidential election as well as other elections to the United States Senate and House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Bob Menendez won re-election to a second full term.

1 Background
2 Democratic primary
3 Republican primary
4 General election
5 See also
6 References
7 External links

Background

Bob Menendez became the first Hispanic-American U.S. senator to represent New Jersey in January 2006 when former U.S. senator Jon Corzine appointed him to the seat after having resigned to become governor of New Jersey, following his election in November 2005.^[1] In November 2006, after a tough and painful election, Menendez defeated Republican state senator Thomas Kean, Jr. with 53.3% of the vote.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Bob Menendez, incumbent U.S. Senator^[2]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Bob Menendez	Someone else	Unsure
Fairleigh Dickinson University	March 5–11, 2012	404	± 5.0%	30%	37%	33%

Results

Democratic primary results^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Bob Menendez (Incumbent)	235,321	100
Total votes			235,321	100

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

David Brown, inventor^[4]
Joseph Kyrillos, state Senator^[5]
Bader Qarmout, businessman and adjunct professor at the County College of Morris^[6]
Joseph Rullo, businessman^[7]

Withdrew

Ian Linker, lawyer (dropped out)^[8]
Anna Little, former mayor of Highlands and unsuccessful candidate for the 6th congressional district in 2010 (dropped out)^[9]

Declined

Diane Allen, state Senator, 2002 U.S. Senate candidate (lost in primary), and former news broadcaster^[10]
Chris Christie, Governor of New Jersey and former U.S. Attorney^[11]^[12]
John Crowley, biotechnology executive^[13]
Michael Doherty, state Senator^[14]
Tim Smith, financial services firm executive and member of the Roxbury Township Council^[15]
Jay Webber, state Assemblyman and former New Jersey Republican State Committee chairman^[16]^[17]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Michael Doherty	Kim Guadagno	Woody Johnson	Tom Kean Jr.	Joseph Kyrillos	Anna Little	Tim Smith	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	July 15–18, 2011	300	± 5.7%	7%	10%	9%	36%	3%	4%	2%	—	30%

Results

Republican primary results^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Joseph Kyrillos	161,146	77.1
	Republican	David Brown	18,671	8.9
	Republican	Joseph Rullo	16,690	8.0
	Republican	Bader Qarmout	12,637	6.0
Total votes			209,144	100%

General election

Candidates

Bob Menendez (Democratic), incumbent U.S. Senator
Joseph Kyrillos (Republican), State Senator
Inder "Andy" Soni (America First), Edison resident
Ken Wolski (Green), medical marijuana activist and former nurse^[18]
Gwen Diakos (Jersey Strong Independents), civilian defense contractor^[4]^[19]
Kenneth R. Kaplan (Libertarian), commercial real estate broker^[20]
Eugene Martin LaVergne (Independent), West Long Branch resident
Daryl Mikell Brooks (Reform Nation), Trenton resident, Social Activist
Robert "Turk" Turkavage (Responsibility Fairness Integrity), former FBI agent
Greg Pason (Socialist), National Secretary of the Socialist Party USA and perennial candidate^[21]
J. David Dranikoff (Totally Independent Candidate), businessman and Livingston resident

Debates

Three debates were scheduled. The first debate took place on October 4, 2012 at Montclair State University. Menendez and Kyrillos participated. The second took place on October 10 at NJ 101.5 studios, Trenton NJ^[22] The third was to take place on October 17 at Mercer County Community College^[23]

External links

Complete video and transcript at C-SPAN, first debate, October 4, 2012
Complete video and transcript at C-SPAN, second debate, October 13, 2012

Fundraising

Candidate (party)	Receipts	Disbursements	Cash on hand	Debt
Bob Menendez (D)	$10,243,864	$2,325,178	$10,345,365	$0
Joseph Kyrillos (R)	$3,106,536	$1,132,232	$1,974,302	$50,236
Kenneth R. Kaplan (L)	$800	$0	$800	$0
Source: Federal Election Commission^[24]^[25]^[26]

Top contributors

^[27]

Bob Menendez	Contribution	Joseph Kyrillos	Contribution
Lowenstein Sandler	$116,160	McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter, LLP	$133,098
Greenberg Traurig	$78,250	Allied Management Inc	$22,000
NORPAC	$70,550	Connell Foley	$18,250
Prudential Financial	$66,800	Maser Consulting	$17,250
DeCotiis, FitzPatrick & Cole	$48,150	B&L Tire	$15,000
Kindred Healthcare	$48,000	Berkeley College	$15,000
Verizon Communications	$47,050	CJ Hesse	$15,000
Medco Health Solutions	$41,249	GlobalTel	$15,000
DLA Piper	$41,000	Langer Transport Corp	$15,000
Dade Medical College	$40,000	Fgi Finance	$14,000

Top industries

^[28]

Bob Menendez	Contribution	Joseph Kyrillos	Contribution
Lawyers/Law Firms	$1,633,843	Lawyers/Law Firms	$312,845
Real Estate	$1,096,684	Retired	$103,900
Lobbyists	$578,182	Financial Institutions	$98,200
Financial Institutions	$532,651	Real Estate	$98,150
Health Professionals	$524,810	Health Professionals	$62,100
Retired	$411,525	Business Services	$60,250
Construction Services	$388,550	Construction Services	$54,300
Pharmaceuticals/Health Products	$353,250	Universities	$51,250
Insurance	$338,550	General Contractors	$39,500
Leadership PACs	$328,244	Misc Business	$38,550

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Bob Menendez (D)	Joseph Kyrillos (R)	Other	Undecided
Philadelphia Inquirer	October 23–25, 2012	601 LV	± 4%	50%	32%	—	18%
SurveyUSA	October 17–18, 2012	577 LV	± 4.2%	53%	33%	5%	9%
Stockton	October 12–18, 2012	811 LV	± 3.5%	52%	30%	—	18%
Quinnipiac	October 10–14, 2012	1,319 LV	± 2.7%	55%	37%	—	15%
Philadelphia Inquirer	October 4–8, 2012	604 LV	± 4%	49%	35%	—	15%
Monmouth University	September 19–23, 2012	613 LV	± 2.5%	49%	34%	—	15%
Philadelphia Inquirer	September 9–12, 2012	600 LV	± 2.5%	43%	32%	—	12%
Quinnipaic University	September 6–12, 2012	706 LV	± 2.5%	50%	36%	—	16%
Quinnipaic University	August 27–September 2, 2012	1,471 LV	± 2.5%	50%	40%	—	10%
Rutgers-Eagleton	August 23–25, 2012	688 LV	± 3.7%	47%	35%	8%	10%
Monmouth University	July 23–27, 2012	849 RV	± 2.5%	45%	33%	1%	22%
Monmouth University	July 18–22, 2012	535 LV	± 2.5%	44%	35%	1%	19%
Quinnipiac	July 9–14, 2012	1,623	± 2.5%	47%	34%	1%	16%
Quinnipiac	May 9–14, 2012	1,582	± 2.5%	45%	35%	2%	19%
Fairleigh Dickenson/PublicMind	April 30–May 6, 2012	400	± 5%	42%	33%	—	24%
Quinnipiac	April 3–9, 2012	1,607	± 2.4%	44%	35%	1%	20%
Farleigh Dickinson University	March 5–11, 2012	396	± 2.6%	43%	33%	—	23%
Quinnipiac	February 21–27, 2012	1,396	± 2.6%	49%	34%	1%	14%
Survey USA	February 24–26, 2012	533	± 4.3%	46%	31%	—	23%
Rutgers-Eagleton	February 9–11, 2012	914	± 3.3%	44%	22%	1%	26%
Farleigh Dickinson University	January 2–8, 2012	800	± 3.5%	43%	31%	—	26%
Farleigh Dickinson University	September 19–25, 2011	800	± 3.5%	49%	28%	—	22%
Public Policy Polling	July 15–18, 2011	480	± 4.5%	48%	29%	—	23%
Fairleigh Dickinson University	January 3–9, 2011	802	± 3.5%	41%	29%	—	30%

Hypothetical polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Bob Menendez (D)	Jennifer Beck (R)	Other	Undecided
Fairleigh Dickinson University	January 3–9, 2011	802	± 3.5%	42%	29%	—	29%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Bob Menendez (D)	Lou Dobbs (R)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	January 6–9, 2011	520	± 4.3%	47%	35%	—	18%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Bob Menendez (D)	Lou Dobbs (I)	Other	Undecided
Fairleigh Dickinson University	January 4–10, 2010	801	± 3.5%	37%	34%	—	28%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Bob Menendez (D)	Michael Doherty (R)	Other	Undecided
Farleigh Dickinson University	September 19–25, 2011	800	± 3.5%	49%	30%	—	22%
Public Policy Polling	July 15–18, 2011	480	± 4.5%	48%	35%	—	17%
Fairleigh Dickinson University	January 3–9, 2011	802	± 3.5%	40%	30%	—	30%
Fairleigh Dickinson University	Feb. 23-Mar. 1, 2010	801	± 3.5%	40%	27%	8%	25%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Bob Menendez (D)	Kim Guadagno (R)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	July 15–18, 2011	480	± 4.5%	48%	34%	—	18%
Public Policy Polling	January 6–9, 2011	520	± 4.3%	45%	30%	—	24%
Fairleigh Dickinson University	January 3–9, 2011	802	± 3.5%	47%	26%	—	27%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Bob Menendez (D)	Woody Johnson (R)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	July 15–18, 2011	480	± 4.5%	48%	30%	—	22%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Bob Menendez (D)	Tom Kean Jr. (R)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	July 15–18, 2011	480	± 4.5%	44%	39%	—	16%
Public Policy Polling	January 6–9, 2011	520	± 4.3%	41%	39%	—	19%
Fairleigh Dickinson University	January 3–9, 2011	802	± 3.5%	44%	34%	—	22%
Fairleigh Dickinson University	Feb. 23-Mar. 1, 2010	801	± 3.5%	38%	39%	6%	17%
Fairleigh Dickinson University	Jan. 23-Feb. 1, 2010	801	± 3.5%	35%	45%	2%	15%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Bob Menendez (D)	Anna Little (R)	Other	Undecided
Survey USA	February 24–26, 2012	533	± 4.3%	48%	29%	—	23%
Farleigh Dickinson University	January 2–8, 2012	800	± 3.5%	43%	31%	—	26%

Results

Results of the November election by municipality

Menendez

Kyrillos

United States Senate election in New Jersey, 2012^[29]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Bob Menendez (Incumbent)	1,987,680	7001588700000000000♠58.87%	+5.50%
	Republican	Joseph Kyrillos	1,329,534	7001393700000000000♠39.37%	-4.98%
	Libertarian	Kenneth R. Kaplan	16,803	6999500000000000000♠0.50%	-0.15%
Majority			658,146	19.49%
Turnout			3,376,649

References

^
^ Menendez for Senate 2012
^ ^a ^b [1]
^ ^a ^b
^
^
^
^
^
^ Sen. Diane Allen on lessons from the campaign trail | NJ.com
^
^
^ Crowley Won't Run For Senate - Hotline On Call
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
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^ Menendez Campaign Finances
^ Kyrillos Campaign Finances
^ R. Kaplan
^ [2]Center for Responsive Politics
^ Contributors by Industry (opensecrets.org)
^

External links

New Jersey Division of Elections
Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
Outside spending at Sunlight Foundation
Candidate issue positions at On the Issues

Official campaign websites

Ken Kaplan for U.S. Senate
Gwen Diakos for U.S. Senate
Joe Kyrillos for U.S. Senate
Bob Menendez for U.S. Senate
Greg Pason for U.S. Senate

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United States Senate election in New Jersey, 2012