The 1980 United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey were held on November 4, 1980, to determine who would represent the people of New Jersey in the United States House of Representatives. This election coincided with national elections for President, U.S. House and U.S. Senate. New Jersey had fifteen seats in the House, apportioned according to the 1970 United States census. Representatives are elected for two-year terms.
Overview 1980 United States House of Representatives elections in New JerseyPartyVotesPercentageCandidatesSeats+/–Democratic1,316,10048.01%1582Republican1,368,98149.94%1572Libertarian27,5721.01%150Citizens3,0250.11%20Socialist Labor2,9230.11%40Socialist Workers1,8690.07%20Constitution6660.02%10Socialist6430.02%10Independents47,1881.72%130Totals2,741,395100.00%5415
District 1
Incumbent James Florio won. The district included Gloucester County and parts of Camden County.
Democratic primary
Candidates
James Florio, incumbent Representative since 1975
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Scott L. Sibert
Results
General election
Candidates
Scott L. Sibert (Republican) James Florio, incumbent Representative since 1975 (Republican) Julius Levin, perennial candidate (Socialist Labor) Thomas S. Watson Jr. (Independent) Ronald K. Wishart (Libertarian)
Results
District 2
Incumbent William J. Hughes won. This district, the largest in South Jersey, included all of Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, and Salem counties and parts of Burlington and Ocean counties.
Democratic primary
Candidates
William J. Hughes, incumbent Representative since 1975
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Beech N. Fox, Cape May County sheriff John J. Mahoney, chair of the Atlantic County Young Republicans
Results
General election
Candidates
Beech N. Fox, Cape May County sheriff (Republican) Adele Frisch (Socialist Labor) William J. Hughes, incumbent Representative since 1975 (Democratic) Robert C. Rothhouse (Libertarian)
Results
District 3
Incumbent James J. Howard won. This district included parts of Monmouth and Ocean counties.
Democratic primary
Candidates
James J. Howard, incumbent Representative since 1965
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Marie Sheehan Muhler, assemblywoman from Marlboro
Results
General election
Candidates
Lawrence D. Erickson (Socialist) James J. Howard, incumbent Representative since 1965 (Democratic) Marie Sheehan Muhler, assemblywoman from Marlboro (Republican) Tom Palven (Libertarian) L. James Wilson (J.E.B. Party Inc.)
Results
District 4
This district, in Central Jersey, consisted of parts of Burlington, Mercer, Middlesex, and Monmouth counties.
Incumbent Frank Thompson ran for a fourteenth consecutive term in office; however, his campaign was severely damaged by his implication in the Abscam scandal and indictment on bribery charges. Republican Chris Smith, who had also run for the seat in 1978, won.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Frank Thompson, incumbent Representative since 1955
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Chris Smith, chair of the New Jersey Right to Life Committee and nominee for this district in 1978 John D. Scalamonti, former Catholic priest and convert to Orthodox Judaism
Declined
Jeff Bell, nominee for U.S. Senate in 1978Early on, Smith was dismissed as a fluke, New York Observer (December 23, 2019). John K. Rafferty, mayor of Hamilton Township
Results
General election
Candidates
Jack Moyers (Libertarian) Paul B. Rizzo (Independent) Chris Smith, chair of the New Jersey Right to Life Committee and nominee for this district in 1978 (Republican) Frank Thompson, incumbent Representative since 1955 (Democratic)
Campaign After Thompson was indicted on charges of bribery and conspiracy in connection with the Abscam FBI sting operation, Republicans considered replacing Smith with a more established candidate. Two such potential candidates, 1978 U.S. Senate nominee Jeff Bell and Hamilton Township mayor Jack Rafferty, declined.
Results
District 5
Incumbent Millicent Fenwick won. This district included Somerset County and parts of Essex, Mercer, Middlesex, and Morris counties.
Republican primary
Candidates
Millicent Fenwick, incumbent Representative since 1975 Larry Haverly, Denville businessman
Campaign Haverly spent approximately $30,000 against Fenwick in the primary.
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Kieran E. Pillion Jr., Millington lawyer William R. Norris II, Neshanic Station history teacher
Results
General election
Candidates
Millicent Fenwick, incumbent Representative since 1975 (Republican) Jasper C. Gould (Contempt of Court) Kieran E. Pillion Jr., Millington lawyer (Democratic) Carl R. Samson (Libertarian)
Campaign In the general election, Fenwick and Pillion agreed to a spending cap of $22,500. Ultimately, Pillion was only able to raise about $7,200. Fenwick's campaign was managed by future state senator Kip Bateman. Pillion argued that he would be better positioned to attract federal funding to solve flooding issues in the district because he was a member of the same party as President Carter.
Results
District 6
This district included parts of Burlington, Camden, and Ocean counties.
Incumbent Republican Edwin B. Forsythe won.
Republican primary
Candidates
Richard D. Amber, candidate for this district in 1978 Edwin B. Forsythe, incumbent Representative from Moorestown since 1970
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Alene S. Ammond, former state senator from Cherry Hill Bruce MacNaul, Burlington County Surrogate Lewis M. Weinstein, former Cherry Hill township manager
Results
General election
Candidates
Bernardo S. Doganiero, perennial candidate (Socialist Labor) Virginia A. Flynn (Libertarian) Edwin B. Forsythe, incumbent Representative from Moorestown since 1970 (Republican) John Kinnevy III (Citizens) Donald L. Smith (Constitution) Lewis M. Weinstein, former Cherry Hill township manager (Democratic)
Results
District 7
This district included western parts of Bergen County. Incumbent Andrew Maguire ran for a fourth term in office but was defeated by Marge Roukema in a rematch of the 1978 campaign.
Democratic primary Candidates
Andrew Maguire, incumbent Representative since 1975
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Marge Roukema, former member of the Ridgewood Board of Education and nominee for this district in 1978
Results
General election
Candidates
Andrew Maguire, incumbent Representative since 1975 (Democratic) Patrick Randazzo (Pro-Life Independent) Marge Roukema, former member of the Ridgewood Board of Education and nominee for this district in 1978 (Republican) Robert Shapiro (Libertarian) Martin E. Wendelken (Independent)
Results
District 8
This district included parts of Bergen and Passaic counties. Incumbent Robert Roe won.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Robert A. Roe, incumbent Representative from Wayne since 1969
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
William R. Cleveland
Results
General election
Candidates
William R. Cleveland (Republican) Michael Horowitz (Libertarian) Donald Rabel (Socialist Labor) Robert A. Roe, incumbent Representative from Wayne since 1969 (Democratic)
Results
District 9
This district consisted of parts of Bergen and Hudson counties. Incumbent Harold C. Hollenbeck won.
As of 2025, this is the most recent election in which a Republican was elected to represent any portion of Hudson County in the House.
Republican primary
Candidates
Harold Hollenbeck, incumbent Representative from East Rutherford since 1977
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Gabriel M. Ambrosio, Lyndhurst attorney and candidate for Bergen County Freeholder in 1979 Henry Helstoski, former Representative and independent candidate for this district in 1978 Burt Ross, former mayor of Fort Lee
Withdrew
Stephen M. Bunda, doctoral student and Bergen County political consultant S. Sanford Schlitt, car dealer
Declined
Bob Torricelli, former aide to governor Brendan Byrne and advisor to the Jimmy Carter 1980 presidential campaign
Results
General election
Candidates
Gabriel M. Ambrosio, Lyndhurst attorney (Democratic) Edward G. Davis (Citizens) Harold Hollenbeck, incumbent Representative from East Rutherford since 1977 (Republican) Henry Koch (Libertarian) Herbert Shaw (Politicians Are Crooks)
Results
District 10
The district included parts of Essex and Hudson counties. Incumbent Democrat Peter W. Rodino won.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Russell Fox, reverend of Mount Olive Baptist Church Golden E. Johnson, former Newark Municipal Court judge Donald M. Payne, former Essex County Freeholder Peter W. Rodino, incumbent Representative since 1949
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Everett J. Jennings
Results
General election
Candidates
Christine Hildebrand (Socialist Workers) Everett J. Jennings (Republican) Christine Keno (Human Rights Ratification) Ronald Penque (Libertarian) Peter W. Rodino, incumbent Representative since 1949 (Democratic) Frankie Lee Scott (Youth Against Draft)
Results
District 11
This district consisted of parts of Bergen, Essex, Passaic, and Union counties. Incumbent Democrat Joseph Minish won.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Joseph Minish, incumbent Representative from West Orange since 1963
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Robert A. Davis
Results
General election
Candidates
Jon Britton (Socialist Workers) Robert A. Davis (Republican) Joseph Minish, incumbent Representative from West Orange since 1963 (Democratic) Richard S. Roth (Libertarian) Robert G. Trugman (The Independent Alternative)
Resultsd
District 12
This district included parts of Union County. Incumbent Matt Rinaldo won.
Republican primary
Candidates
Matt Rinaldo, incumbent Representative from Union since 1973
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Charles A. Leary Rose Zeidwerg Monyek
Results
General election
Candidates
David-Leif Jensen (Independent for Congress) Rose Zeidwerg Monyek (Democratic) Matt Rinaldo, incumbent Representative from Union since 1973 (Republican) William Vandersteel (Libertarian)
Results
District 13
This sprawling district included Hunterdon, Sussex, and Warren counties and parts of Mercer and Morris counties. Incumbent Representative Jim Courter won.
Republican primary
Candidates
Jim Courter, incumbent Representative from Hackettstown since 1979
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Edward J. Baker Carl A. Mottey Ray Rollinson Roger A. Singerling Dave Stickle, Pompton Plains warehouse manager
Results
General election
Candidates
Jim Courter, incumbent Representative from Hackettstown since 1979 (Republican) John S. Schafer (Libertarian) Dave Stickle, Pompton Plains warehouse manager (Democratic)
Results
District 14
This district included parts of Hudson County. Incumbent Democrat Frank J. Guarini won.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Frank J. Guarini, incumbent Representative since 1979
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Dennis Teti, Weehawken insurance broker
Results
General election
Candidates
Kenneth Famularo (Action Talks) Frank J. Guarini, incumbent Representative since 1979 (Democratic) Jonathan Steele (LIbertarian) Dennis Teti, Weehawken insurance broker (Republican)
Results
District 15
This district included parts of Middlesex and Union counties. Incumbent Democrat Edward Patten did not run for re-election to a tenth term in office. Bernard J. Dwyer won the open seat.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Bernard J. Dwyer, state senator and former mayor of Edison