2021 New Jersey Senate election explained

Election Name:	2021 New Jersey State Senate election
Country:	New Jersey
Type:	legislative
Ongoing:	no
Previous Election:	2017 New Jersey State Senate election
Previous Year:	2017
Next Election:	2023 New Jersey State Senate election
Next Year:	2023
Seats For Election:	All 40 seats in the New Jersey Senate
Majority Seats:	21
Election Date:	November 2, 2021
Leader1:	Steve Sweeney (lost re-election)
Color1:	0000FF
Party1:	Democratic
Leader Since1:	January 12, 2010
Leaders Seat1:	3rd (West Deptford)
Last Election1:	25 seats
Seats Before1:	25
Seats1:	24
Seat Change1:	1
Popular Vote1:	1,296,465
Percentage1:	51.9%
Swing1:	7.2 pp
Leader2:	Thomas Kean Jr. (retired)
Color2:	FF0000
Party2:	Republican
Leader Since2:	January 8, 2008
Leaders Seat2:	21st (Westfield)
Last Election2:	15 seats
Seats Before2:	14
Seats2:	16
Seat Change2:	2
Popular Vote2:	1,199,006
Percentage2:	48.0%
Swing2:	7.3 pp
Map Size:	x300px
Senate President
Before Election:	Steve Sweeney
Before Party:	Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:	Nicholas Scutari^[1]
After Party:	Democratic Party (United States)

The 2021 New Jersey State Senate election was held on November 2, 2021. New Jersey voters elected state senators in all of the state's legislative districts for a two-year term to the New Jersey Senate.^[2] This was the first election since 1991 where Republicans net gained state Senate seats. Democrats would later be restored to 25 seats following the party switch of Samuel D. Thompson in 2023.

align=center

Contents Incumbents not running • Summary of results By district: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31 • 32 • 33 • 34 • 35 • 36 • 37 • 38 • 39 • 40

Incumbents not running for re-election

Democratic

• Loretta Weinberg, District 37^[3]

Republican

• Kip Bateman, District 16^[4]
• Thomas Kean Jr., District 21 (running for NJ-07 in 2022)^{[5] [6]}

In addition, five members who were elected in the last election in 2017 have since left office: Robert M. Gordon (D-38th, resigned),^[7] Jeff Van Drew (D-1st, resigned),^[8] Anthony R. Bucco (R-25th, died in office),^[9] Gerald Cardinale (R-39th, died in office),^[10] and Chris A. Brown, (R-2nd, resigned after previously announcing retirement).^{[11] [12]}

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe^[13]		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily^[14]		November 1, 2021

Results

Overview

Parties	Candidates	Seats	Popular vote
align=center	2017	align=center	2021	align=center	+/-	align=center	Strength	align=center	Vote	align=center	%	align=center	Change
	Democratic	align=right	40	align=right	25	align=right	24	align=right	1	align=right	60%	align=right	1,296,465	align=right	51.9%	align=right	7.2
	Republican	align=right	38	align=right	15	align=right	16	align=right	1	align=right	40%	align=right	1,199,006	align=right	48.0%	align=right	7.3
	Libertarian	align=right	1	align=right	0	align=right	0	align=right	0	align=right	0%	align=right	403	align=right	0.02%	align=right	0.01
	Independent	align=right	2	align=right	0	align=right	0	align=right	0	align=right	0%	align=right	1,460	align=right	0.1%	align=right	0.0
align=center colspan="2"	Total	align=center	81	align=center	40	align=center	40	align=center		align=center	100.00%	align=center	2,497,334	align=center	100.00%	align=center
align=left colspan="2"	Turnout						align=right		align=right		align=right
align=left colspan="2"	Registered						align=right		align=right		align=right

By State Senate District

Senate District^[15]	Incumbent	Party		Elected Senator	Party
District 1	Mike Testa		Rep	Mike Testa		Rep
District 2	Vacant	Vincent J. Polistina		Rep
District 3	Stephen M. Sweeney		Dem	Edward Durr		Rep
District 4	Fred H. Madden		Dem	Fred H. Madden		Dem
District 5	Nilsa Cruz-Perez		Dem	Nilsa Cruz-Perez		Dem
District 6	James Beach		Dem	James Beach		Dem
District 7	Troy Singleton		Dem	Troy Singleton		Dem
District 8	Dawn Addiego		Dem	Jean Stanfield		Rep
District 9	Christopher J. Connors		Rep	Christopher J. Connors		Rep
District 10	James W. Holzapfel		Rep	James W. Holzapfel		Rep
District 11	Vin Gopal		Dem	Vin Gopal		Dem
District 12	Samuel D. Thompson		Rep	Samuel D. Thompson		Rep
District 13	Declan O'Scanlon		Rep	Declan O'Scanlon		Rep
District 14	Linda R. Greenstein		Dem	Linda R. Greenstein		Dem
District 15	Shirley Turner		Dem	Shirley Turner		Dem
District 16	Kip Bateman		Rep	Andrew Zwicker		Dem
District 17	Bob Smith		Dem	Bob Smith		Dem
District 18	Patrick J. Diegnan		Dem	Patrick J. Diegnan		Dem
District 19	Joe F. Vitale		Dem	Joe F. Vitale		Dem
District 20	Joseph Cryan		Dem	Joseph Cryan		Dem
District 21	Thomas Kean Jr.		Rep	Jon Bramnick		Rep
District 22	Nicholas Scutari		Dem	Nicholas Scutari		Dem
District 23	Michael J. Doherty		Rep	Michael J. Doherty		Rep
District 24	Steve Oroho		Rep	Steve Oroho		Rep
District 25	Anthony M. Bucco		Rep	Anthony M. Bucco		Rep
District 26	Joseph Pennacchio		Rep	Joseph Pennacchio		Rep
District 27	Richard Codey		Dem	Richard Codey		Dem
District 28	Ronald Rice		Dem	Ronald Rice		Dem
District 29	Teresa Ruiz		Dem	Teresa Ruiz		Dem
District 30	Robert W. Singer		Rep	Robert W. Singer		Rep
District 31	Sandra Bolden Cunningham		Dem	Sandra Bolden Cunningham		Dem
District 32	Nicholas Sacco		Dem	Nicholas Sacco		Dem
District 33	Brian P. Stack		Dem	Brian P. Stack		Dem
District 34	Nia Gill		Dem	Nia Gill		Dem
District 35	Nellie Pou		Dem	Nellie Pou		Dem
District 36	Paul Sarlo		Dem	Paul Sarlo		Dem
District 37	Loretta Weinberg		Dem	Gordon M. Johnson		Dem
District 38	Joseph Lagana		Dem	Joseph Lagana		Dem
District 39	Holly Schepisi		Rep	Holly Schepisi		Rep
District 40	Kristin Corrado		Rep	Kristin Corrado		Rep

Close races

Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:

1. gain
2. gain
6. gain

District 1

General election

Polling

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

District 2

Republican primary

Polling

General election

Polling

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

District 3

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

District 4

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

District 5

Republican primary

No Republicans filed. However, Clyde Cook received enough write-in votes to qualify for the general election.

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

District 6

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

District 7

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

District 8

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

District 9

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

District 10

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

District 11

Democratic primary

Endorsements

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

Endorsements

District 12

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

District 13

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

District 14

Democratic primary

Endorsements

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

Endorsements

District 15

Democratic primary

Endorsements

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

Endorsements

District 16

Democratic primary

Endorsements

General election

Polling

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

Endorsements

District 17

Democratic primary

Endorsements

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

Endorsements

District 18

Democratic primary

Endorsements

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

Endorsements

District 19

Republican primary

Following the primary, Onuoha was replaced on the ballot for the general election by Pedro "Peter" Pisar on August 23.^[22]

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

District 20

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Joseph Cryan, incumbent state senator since 2018
• Jamel Holley, state assemblyman from Roselle since 2015^[23]

Withdrew

• Jason Krychiw,^[24] suspended campaign on April 23, 2021^[25]

Endorsements

Republican primary

No Republicans filed.

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

Endorsements

District 21

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

District 22

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

District 23

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

District 24

Republican primary

Candidates

• Daniel Cruz, member of the Andover Township Board of Education
• Steve Oroho, incumbent senator since 2008

Results

Democratic primary

No Democrats filed. However, Frederick P. Cook received enough write-in votes to qualify for the general election.

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

District 25

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

District 26

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

District 27

Democratic primary

Endorsements

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

Endorsements

District 28

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

District 29

Republican primary

No Republicans filed.

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

District 30

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

District 31

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

District 32

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Nicholas Sacco, incumbent senator since 1994 and Mayor of North Bergen

Results

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

District 33

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

District 34

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

District 35

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

District 36

Republican primary

Republicans Chris Auriemma filed to run, withdrew, and then received enough write-in votes to qualify for the general election.

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

District 37

Democratic primary

Endorsements

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

Endorsements

District 38

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Joseph Lagana, incumbent senator since 2018

Results

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

District 39

Republican primary

Candidates

• Holly Schepisi, incumbent senator since 2021^[26]

Results

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

District 40

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	New Jersey Globe		October 28, 2021
align=left	Elections Daily		November 1, 2021

Results

See also

• 2021 New Jersey elections
• 2021 New Jersey General Assembly election
• List of New Jersey state legislatures

Notes and References

1. Web site: Catalini . Mike . NJ Senate Dems Pick Scutari as Leader After Sweeney's Stunning Loss to Truck Driver . . November 12, 2021 . November 12, 2021.
2. Web site: New Jersey Secretary of State. state.nj.us. en.
3. Web site: Barchenger . Stacey . NJ Sen. Loretta Weinberg announces retirement after 28 years in Trenton . NorthJersey.com . January 13, 2021 . January 13, 2021.
4. Web site: Deak . Mike . Sen. Christopher 'Kip' Bateman won't seek reelection, ending four decades in NJ politics . myCentralJersey.com . January 27, 2021 . January 27, 2021.
5. Web site: Salant . Jonathan D. . Tom Kean Jr. announces he won't seek re-election to the state Senate. Is another try for Congress next? . NJ.com . February 1, 2021 . February 1, 2021.
6. Web site: Salant . Jonathan D. . N.J. to get its marquee House race in 2022 as Kean will challenge Malinowski again . NJ.com . July 5, 2021 . July 2, 2021.
7. Web site: Tate. Curtis. Gov. Phil Murphy appoints Sen. Bob Gordon to NJ utility watchdog. NorthJersey.com. July 5, 2021. April 5, 2018.
8. Web site: Contento . Nina . Former State Senator Jeff Van Drew Prepares for Washington, D.C. . SNJ Today . July 5, 2021 . January 2, 2019 . January 3, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190103161221/http://www.snjtoday.com/story/39721696/former-state-senator-jeff-van-drew-prepares-for-washington-dc . dead .
9. Web site: Ortiz . Keldy . Westhoven . William . New Jersey state Sen. Anthony Bucco dies of a heart attack . . July 5, 2021 . September 16, 2019.
10. News: Veteran New Jersey state senator Gerald Cardinale dies at 86. February 20, 2021. February 21, 2021. Associated Press.
11. Web site: Wildstein . David . Chris Brown will not seek re-election to State Senate seat . newjerseyglobe.com . February 18, 2021 . February 18, 2021.
12. Web site: Brunetti Post . Michelle . State Sen. Chris Brown to help advise governor's office on Atlantic City affairs . . July 25, 2021 . July 20, 2021.
13. Web site: 2021 New Jersey Globe Voter's Guide . New Jersey Globe . October 28, 2021 . October 31, 2021.
14. Web site: New Jersey's 2021 Election Ratings - The Final Rundown . Elections Daily . March 11, 2021.
15. Web site: New Jersey State Senate elections, 2021. Ballotpedia. en.
16. https://stockton.edu/hughes-center/polling/documents/2021-1013-stockton-poll-testa-leads-in-1st-district.pdf Stockton University
17. https://newjerseyglobe.com/legislature/two-polls-show-grossman-narrowly-ahead-in-gop-senate-primary/ Neighborhood Research (R)
18. Internal poll for the Seth Grossman campaign
19. https://stockton.edu/hughes-center/polling/documents/2021-1026-stockton-poll-mazzeo-leads-2nd-district.pdf Stockton University
20. https://newjerseyglobe.com/legislature/gop-brandishes-poll-showing-tie-in-16th-district-senate-race/ 3D Strategic Research (R)
21. Internal poll for the New Jersey Senate Republican Campaign Committee
22. Web site: AMENDED CERTIFICATION . . August 30, 2021 . August 23, 2021.
23. News: January 13, 2021. Holley to Challenge Cryan in LD20 Democratic Primary. Insider NJ. January 23, 2021.
24. Web site: Krychiw Challenging Cryan in LD20 Democratic Primary . Insider NJ . InsiderNJ . March 25, 2021 . December 14, 2020.
25. Web site: 2021-04-23. Krychiw drops Senate bid after lying about his job. 2021-04-25. New Jersey Globe. en-US.
26. News: Wildstein. David. January 29, 2021. Schepisi said to favor GOP Senate bid against Cardinale, will submit letter of intent. New Jersey Globe. February 18, 2021.