United States Senate election in New Jersey, 1996
Encyclopedia
The 1996 United States Senate election in New Jersey was held on November 6, 1996. Incumbent Democratic
U.S. Senator Bill Bradley
decided to retire instead of seeking a fourth term.
. Both DuHaime, a pro-life
candidate, and La Rossa, a pro-gun candidate, attempted to portray Mr. Zimmer as too liberal for the party. But Zimmer treated the two challengers as if they did not exist.
easily won his party primary as he went unopposed. Republican U.S. congressman Dick Zimmer won his party's nomination easily. Torricelli defeated Zimmer in the general election by 10 points, a margin less than President Bill Clinton
, who carried NJ by almost 18%. Independents made up 4.8% of the vote.
Like other Democratic candidates around the country, Torricelli tried to portray "Zig-Zag Zimmer" as a clone of House Speaker Newt Gingrich
and flip flopping on his positions on issues like Medicare
, gun control
and an increase in the minimum wage
during the campaign. Zimmer tried to cast his opponent as a tax-and-spend liberal with ethical flaws.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
U.S. Senator Bill Bradley
Bill Bradley
William Warren "Bill" Bradley is an American hall of fame basketball player, Rhodes scholar, and former three-term Democratic U.S. Senator from New Jersey. He ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic Party's nomination for President in the 2000 election.Bradley was born and raised in a suburb of St....
decided to retire instead of seeking a fourth term.
Candidates
- Dick Zimmer, U.S. congressman of New Jersey's 12th congressional districtNew Jersey's 12th congressional districtNew Jersey's Twelfth Congressional district is currently represented by Democrat Rush D. Holt Jr. The district is known for its research centers and educational institutions such as Princeton University, Institute for Advanced Study, Johnson & Johnson and Bristol-Myers Squibb.-Voting trends:The...
- Richard DuHaimeRichard DuHaimeRichard DuHaime is an American Republican Party politician originally from Bloomingdale, New Jersey. He is best known as being one of the men who sought the Republican nomination for United States Senate in 1996. A conservative, he finished second in the G.O.P. primary, losing to Rep...
, Passaic CountyPassaic County, New JerseyPassaic County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 501,226. Its county seat is Paterson...
FreeholderBoard of Chosen FreeholdersIn New Jersey, the Boards of Chosen Freeholders are the county legislatures in each of that state's 21 counties.- Origin :New Jersey's system of naming county legislators "freeholders" is unique in the United States... - Dick LaRossaDick LaRossaRichard Joseph "Dick" LaRossa is an American Republican Party politician who served two terms in the New Jersey Senate, from 1994 to 2000, where he represented the 15th Legislative District.- Early years and education :...
, State SenatorNew Jersey SenateThe New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
Campaign
(Zimmer) was front-runner from the start, getting endorsements from Republican leaders across the state, including Gov. Christine Todd WhitmanChristine Todd Whitman
Christine Todd "Christie" Whitman is an American Republican politician and author who served as the 50th Governor of New Jersey from 1994 to 2001, and was the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency in the administration of President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2003. She was New...
. Both DuHaime, a pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
candidate, and La Rossa, a pro-gun candidate, attempted to portray Mr. Zimmer as too liberal for the party. But Zimmer treated the two challengers as if they did not exist.
Results
Candidates
- Robert G. Torricelli (D)
- Dick Zimmer (R), U.S. congressman of New Jersey's 12th congressional districtNew Jersey's 12th congressional districtNew Jersey's Twelfth Congressional district is currently represented by Democrat Rush D. Holt Jr. The district is known for its research centers and educational institutions such as Princeton University, Institute for Advanced Study, Johnson & Johnson and Bristol-Myers Squibb.-Voting trends:The...
Campaign
After narrowly winning re-election in 1990, Bradley would retire in 1996 and go on to run for president in 2000. Democrat U.S. congressman Robert TorricelliRobert Torricelli
Robert Guy Torricelli , nicknamed "the Torch," is an American politician from the U.S. state of New Jersey. Torricelli, a Democrat, served 14 years in the U.S. House of Representatives before being elected to the U.S. Senate...
easily won his party primary as he went unopposed. Republican U.S. congressman Dick Zimmer won his party's nomination easily. Torricelli defeated Zimmer in the general election by 10 points, a margin less than President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, who carried NJ by almost 18%. Independents made up 4.8% of the vote.
Like other Democratic candidates around the country, Torricelli tried to portray "Zig-Zag Zimmer" as a clone of House Speaker Newt Gingrich
Newt Gingrich
Newton Leroy "Newt" Gingrich is a U.S. Republican Party politician who served as the House Minority Whip from 1989 to 1995 and as the 58th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999....
and flip flopping on his positions on issues like Medicare
Medicare (United States)
Medicare is a social insurance program administered by the United States government, providing health insurance coverage to people who are aged 65 and over; to those who are under 65 and are permanently physically disabled or who have a congenital physical disability; or to those who meet other...
, gun control
Gun control
Gun control is any law, policy, practice, or proposal designed to restrict or limit the possession, production, importation, shipment, sale, and/or use of guns or other firearms by private citizens...
and an increase in the minimum wage
Minimum wage
A minimum wage is the lowest hourly, daily or monthly remuneration that employers may legally pay to workers. Equivalently, it is the lowest wage at which workers may sell their labour. Although minimum wage laws are in effect in a great many jurisdictions, there are differences of opinion about...
during the campaign. Zimmer tried to cast his opponent as a tax-and-spend liberal with ethical flaws.