The 2001 New Jersey gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 2001. Republican incumbent Donald DiFrancesco ran for reelection to a full term but withdrew from the Republican primary. Democratic nominee Jim McGreevey won the general election with 56 percent of the vote against Republican Bret Schundler, becoming New Jersey's first majority-elected governor since James Florio in 1989.

Primary elections were held on June 25. McGreevey won the Democratic nomination for the second consecutive election after U.S. senator Robert Torricelli failed to gain party organization support and dropped out of the race in July 2000. In the Republican primary, Jersey City mayor Bret Schundler defeated former U.S. representative Bob Franks after DiFrancesco withdrew.

Democrats simultaneously ended Republican control of both houses of the legislature after 10 years. As of 2026, this is the last statewide election in which Democrats won Monmouth or Ocean counties. This was the first time since 1973 that a Democrat won without carrying Cape May County.

McGreevey, who was sworn in on January 15, 2002, resigned in November 2004 after disclosing both his homosexuality and an alleged extramarital relationship with a man whom he had appointed as one of his advisors. He was succeeded by Senate president Richard Codey, who served the remainder of McGreevey's term until 2006.

Democratic primary

Candidates Jim McGreevey, mayor of Woodbridge, former state senator and nominee for governor in 1997 Elliot Greenspan, supporter of Lyndon LaRouche

Withdrew

Robert Torricelli, U.S. senator since 1997 (withdrew July 31, 2000)

Declined

Frank Pallone, U.S. representative from Long Branch Bill Pascrell, U.S. representative from Paterson

Campaign Beginning with his loss in the 1997 campaign, Jim McGreevey actively sought support for a second consecutive nomination for governor by courting labor leaders and county party chairmen, whose endorsements were crucial to securing the county line. In late June 2000, he raised $3.2 million for the state party.

In July 2000, U.S. senator Robert Torricelli announced he would challenge McGreevey for the nomination. Torricelli put himself forward as a candidate who could bridge the gap between the northern and southern wings of the party, which remained bitterly divided after the primary election for United States Senate earlier in the year. He quickly secured the support of some labor leaders and minor endorsements in Camden, Morris, Bergen and Burlington counties, and his supporters predicted that he would receive party endorsements in populous Essex and Hudson counties as well, giving him a "stranglehold" on the nomination. However, Torricelli was dogged by ethics complaints stemming from his 1996 campaign, which had resulted in a federal investigation and guilty pleas from six contributors, and his widely publicized investments in several private equity deals. Additionally, his personal style and ambition had drawn many rivals within the state party.

With support from state senators Raymond Lesniak and John A. Lynch Jr., McGreevey was able to block Torricelli from gaining South Jersey county endorsements and lock up the support of organized labor. In late July, the state party published polling which showed that McGreevey led Torricelli among likely primary voters 35 percent to 31 percent, signaling another bitter primary fight. In response, Newark mayor Sharpe James and other Essex County leaders, including state senator Richard Codey, endorsed McGreevey. At the news conference announcing their endorsements, McGreevey swiped at Torricelli, "The Democratic Party is greater than any individual's political ambitions."

On July 31, Torricelli ended his campaign for the nomination, saying that he had been "humbled" by his failure to generate grassroots support and "naive" for believing that "people would put their own interests aside to work toward the goal of something larger." Although party chair Thomas Giblin praised his decision to back out rather than fracture the party, Torricelli declined to immediately endorse McGreevey, instead citing his colleagues Frank Pallone and Bill Pascrell as potential nominees.

Results

Aftermath Rutgers University political science professor Cliff Zukin observed that Torricelli's decision to enter the race and abruptly withdraw damaged his standing within the state party and his ambitions for the presidency. Ultimately, Torricelli ended his political career in 2002 under the cloud of his campaign finance scandal, when he dropped out of his bid for re-election to the Senate trailing in the general election polls.

Republican primary Candidates Bob Franks, former U.S. representative from Summit and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2000 Bret Schundler, mayor of Jersey City

Withdrew Donald DiFrancesco, president of the New Jersey Senate and acting governor

Declined Jack Collins, speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly since 1996 William E. Schluter, state senator from Pennington (ran as independent)

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin DonaldDiFrancesco BobFranks BretSchundler Other/UndecidedQuinnipiacNovember 28–December 4, 2000372 RV±5.1% 10% 45% 9% 37%QuinnipiacJanuary 30–February 5, 2001310 RV±5.6% 45% – 16% 39%QuinnipiacFebruary 28–March 4, 2001347 RV±5.3% 46% – 24% 29%QuinnipiacApril 3–9, 2001357 RV±5.2% 39% – 27% 34%QuinnipiacMay 1–8, 2001331 RV±5.4% – 46% 24% 30%QuinnipiacJune 14–18, 2001415 LV±4.8% – 39% 54% 8%

Results

General election Candidates Jerry Coleman (Green) Mark Edgerton (Libertarian) Michael Koontz (Conservative) James McGreevey, former mayor of Woodbridge, state senator, and nominee for governor in 1997 (Democratic) Costantino Rozzo (Socialist) Kari Sachs (Socialist Workers) William E. Schluter, state senator from Pennington (Independent) Bret Schundler, mayor of Jersey City (Republican)

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin JimMcGreevey (D) BretSchundler (R) BillSchluter (I) Other/UndecidedQuinnipiacNovember 28–December 4, 20001,261 RV±2.8% 40% 24% — 36%Rutgers-EagletonRutgers-EagletonJanuary 24–30, 2001649 RV±4.0% 43% 19%— 37%QuinnipiacJanuary 30–February 5, 20011,156 RV±2.9% 46% 22% — 36%QuinnipiacFebruary 28–March 4, 20011,129 RV±2.9% 45% 31% — 24%QuinnipiacApril 3–9, 20011,145 RV±2.9% 43% 27%— 30%Rutgers-EagletonApril 11–17, 2001632 RV±4.0% 46% 22%— 32%QuinnipiacMay 1–8, 20011,181 RV±2.9% 48% 27%— 25%QuinnipiacJune 27–July 1, 2001851 RV±3.4% 48% 35%— 17%QuinnipiacJuly 29–August 5, 20011,235 RV±2.8% 49% 30%— 21%Rutgers-EagletonAugust 15–21, 2001395 LV±5.0% 54% 33%— 14% 48% 29% 4% 20%QuinnipiacSeptember 19–24, 20011,406 RV±2.6% 44% 30%— 27%Rutgers-EagletonSeptember 22–26, 2001424 LV±4.0% 46% 31%— 24%Rutgers-EagletonOctober 13–17, 2001449 LV±4.7% 45% 33%— 22%QuinnipiacOctober 10–15, 2001742 LV±3.6% 49% 39%— 12%1,140 RV±2.9% 49% 35%— 15% QuinnipiacOctober 23–28, 2001746 LV±3.7% 52% 35% — 12%Rutgers-EagletonOctober 30–November 2, 2001746 LV±3.7% 53% 36% — 11% QuinnipiacOctober 29–November 4, 2001505 LV±4.4% 48% 39% — 13%

with Donald DiFrancesco Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin JimMcGreevey (D) DonaldDiFrancesco (R) Other/UndecidedQuinnipiacNovember 28–December 4, 20001,261 RV±2.8% 41% 26% 34%Rutgers-EagletonJanuary 24–30, 2001649 LV±4.0% 39% 26% 35%QuinnipiacJanuary 30–February 5, 20011,156 RV±2.9% 40% 32% 28%QuinnipiacFebruary 28–March 4, 20011,129 RV±2.9% 41% 37% 22%QuinnipiacFebruary 28–March 4, 20011,145 RV±2.9% 42% 33% 24%Rutgers-EagletonApril 11–17, 2001632 LV±4.0% 44% 26% 30%

with Bob Franks Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin JimMcGreevey (D) BobFranks (R) Other/UndecidedQuinnipiacNovember 28–December 4, 20001,261 RV±2.8% 38% 35% 28%QuinnipiacMay 1–8, 20011,181 RV±2.9% 44% 35% 21%

Results

Results by county

County McGreevey votes McGreevey % Schundler votes Schundler % Other votes Other % Atlantic 38,623 57.5% 27,547 41.0% 995 1.5% Bergen 140,215 55.1% 111,221 43.7% 3,106 1.2% Burlington 62,697 55.4% 48,098 42.5% 2,437 2.2% Camden 78,169 64.6% 40,063 33.1% 2,728 2.3% Cape May 17,118 48.5% 17,471 49.5% 735 2.1% Cumberland 19,445 57.7% 13,583 40.3% 668 2.0% Essex 129,406 71.9% 48,540 27.0% 2,083 1.2% Gloucester 41,083 58.1% 28,210 39.9% 1,392 2.0% Hudson 85,074 68.8% 37,440 30.3% 1,224 1.0% Hunterdon 13,911 35.3% 23,059 58.4% 2,484 6.3% Mercer 57,513 60.9% 31,705 33.6% 5,148 5.5% Middlesex 117,061 62.7% 66,749 35.7% 2,999 1.6% Monmouth 91,838 49.5% 89,987 48.5% 3,647 2.0% Morris 60,948 42.8% 79,350 55.8% 1,942 1.4% Ocean 84,538 51.2% 77,726 47.1% 2,690 1.6% Passaic 62,390 58.1% 43,806 40.8% 1,238 1.2% Salem 10,837 53.5% 8,878 43.8% 540 2.7% Somerset 39,110 45.6% 44,815 52.2% 1,903 2.2% Sussex 14,641 37.5% 23,478 60.1% 957 2.4% Union 79,682 60.3% 50,780 38.4% 1,790 1.4% Warren 12,554 42.3% 15,668 52.8% 1,432 4.8%

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Atlantic (largest municipality: Egg Harbor Township) Bergen (largest municipality: Hackensack) Monmouth (largest municipality: Middletown Township) Ocean (largest municipality: Lakewood) Salem (largest municipality: Pennsville Township)

Notes

References

Official campaign websites Jim McGreevey (D) for Governor Bret Schundler (R) for Governor