The 1977 New Jersey Senate election coincided with Brendan Byrne's re-election to a second term as Governor of New Jersey.
The election coincided with Governor Brendan Byrne's re-election over Senator Raymond Bateman. Byrne narrowly survived a primary election that eliminated seven incumbent Democratic Senators. Despite the intra-party division and early polls indicating Byrne was an underdog in the general election, Byrne survived and the Democrats preserved their large majority in the Senate, with Republicans only gaining three seats. Republicans flipped districts 6, 10, 14, and 23, while Democrats flipped districts 30 (from a Democrat-turned-independent) and 35.
This is the last time Democrats held a veto-proof majority in the chamber. Democrats chose Joseph P. Merlino as the Senate President and Carmen Orechio as Majority Leader; Republicans named Garrett Hagedorn as Minority Leader.
ContentsIncumbents not running • Summary of resultsBy 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__NOTOC__
Incumbents not running for re-election Democratic John A. Lynch Sr. (District 17) Alexander J. Menza (District 20) (ran for U.S. Senator) Raymond Garramone (District 39) (ran for Governor)
Republican Alfred N. Beadleston (District 11) Raymond Bateman (District 16) (ran for Governor) Frank Davenport (District 35)
Incumbents defeated
In primary elections
Democratic District 2: Joseph McGahn (Atlantic) lost party support to Steven P. Perskie, an Assemblyman from Atlantic County. District 6: Alene Ammond (Camden) lost the primary to Victor Pachter. District 7: Edward J. Hughes (Burlington) lost the primary to Charles B. Yates. District 19: John Fay (Middlesex) lost the primary to Laurence Weiss. District 21: Thomas Dunn (Union) lost party support to John Gregorio, an Assemblyman from Union County and mayor of Linden. District 31: James P. Dugan (Hudson) lost the primary to Wally Sheil, the President of Hudson County Community College. District 32: Joseph W. Tumulty (Hudson) lost the primary to David Friedland, a former Assemblyman from Hudson County.
In general elections
Democratic District 10: Herbert Buehler (Monmouth) lost to Republican Brian Kennedy, a former Assemblyman from Monmouth County. District 23: Stephen Wiley (Morris) lost to Republican John H. Dorsey, an Assemblyman from Morris County.
Independent District 2: After losing the Democratic primary, Senator Joseph McGahn ran as an independent in the general election; he finished third behind Perskie and Republican F. Frederick Perone. District 21: After losing the Democratic primary, Senator Thomas Dunn ran as an independent in the general election; he finished second behind Gregorio. District 30: Anthony Imperiale (Essex) was defeated by Democrat Frank E. Rodgers, the mayor of Harrison.
Open seats
Democratic holds District 17: John A. Lynch Sr. (Middlesex) retired. Speaker of the Assembly William J. Hamilton won the open seat. District 20: Alexander J. Menza (Union) retired to run for U.S. Senator. Union Township councilman Anthony E. Russo won the open seat. District 39: Raymond Garramone (Bergen) retired to run for Governor. Former Bergen County Freeholder Frank Herbert won the open seat.
Democratic gains
District 35: Republican Frank Davenport did not seek re-election. Frank X. Graves Jr., the mayor of Paterson, defeated former Assemblyman Alfred Fontanella.
Republican holds
District 11: Alfred N. Beadleston (Monmouth) retired. Former Monmouth County Surrogate S. Thomas Gagliano won the open seat. District 17: Raymond Bateman (Somserset) retired to run for Governor. Assemblyman John H. Ewing won the open seat.
Republican gains
District 6: Alene Ammond (Camden) lost the Democratic primary to Victor Pachter; Pachter lost the general election to Republican Lee Laskin, a former Assemblyman. District 14: Anne Clark Martindell (Mercer) was appointed U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand in May, leaving her seat vacant; Republican Walter E. Foran, an Assemblyman from Hunterdon County, won the open seat.
Summary of results by district DistrictIncumbentPartyElected SenatorParty1st Legislative DistrictJames CafieroRepJames CafieroRep2nd Legislative DistrictJoseph McGahnDemSteven P. PerskieDem3rd Legislative DistrictRaymond ZaneDemRaymond ZaneDem4th Legislative DistrictJoseph A. MaressaDemJoseph A. MaressaDem5th Legislative DistrictAngelo ErrichettiDemAngelo ErrichettiDem6th Legislative DistrictAlene AmmondDemLee B. LaskinRep7th Legislative DistrictEdward J. HughesDemCharles B. YatesDem8th Legislative DistrictBarry T. ParkerRepBarry T. ParkerRep9th Legislative DistrictJohn F. RussoDemJohn F. RussoDem10th Legislative DistrictHerbert J. BuehlerDemBrian T. KennedyRep11th Legislative DistrictAlfred N. BeadlestonRepS. Thomas GaglianoRep12th Legislative DistrictEugene J. BedellDemEugene J. BedellDem13th Legislative DistrictJoseph P. MerlinoDemJoseph P. MerlinoDem14th Legislative DistrictVacantWalter E. ForanRep15th Legislative DistrictWayne DumontRepWayne DumontRep16th Legislative DistrictRaymond BatemanRepJohn H. EwingRep17th Legislative DistrictJohn A. Lynch Sr.DemWilliam J. HamiltonDem18th Legislative DistrictBernard DwyerDemBernard DwyerDem19th Legislative DistrictJohn FayDemLaurence WeissDem20th Legislative DistrictAlexander J. MenzaDemAnthony E. RussoDem21st Legislative DistrictThomas G. DunnDemJohn GregorioDem22nd Legislative DistrictPeter J. McDonoughRepPeter J. McDonoughRep23rd Legislative DistrictStephen B. WileyDemJohn H. DorseyRep24th Legislative DistrictJames P. VreelandRepJames P. VreelandRep25th Legislative DistrictJames WallworkRepJames WallworkRep26th Legislative DistrictFrank J. DoddDemFrank J. DoddDem27th Legislative DistrictCarmen OrechioDemCarmen OrechioDem28th Legislative DistrictMartin L. GreenbergDemMartin L. GreenbergDem29th Legislative DistrictWynona LipmanDemWynona LipmanDem30th Legislative DistrictAnthony ImperialeIndFrank E. RodgersDem31st Legislative DistrictJames P. DuganDemWally SheilDem32nd Legislative DistrictJoseph W. TumultyDemDavid FriedlandDem33rd Legislative DistrictWilliam MustoDemWilliam MustoDem34th Legislative DistrictJoseph HirkalaDemJoseph HirkalaDem35th Legislative DistrictFrank DavenportRepFrank X. Graves Jr.Dem36th Legislative DistrictAnthony ScardinoDemAnthony ScardinoDem37th Legislative DistrictMatthew FeldmanDemMatthew FeldmanDem38th Legislative DistrictJohn SkevinDemJohn SkevinDem39th Legislative DistrictRaymond GarramoneDemFrank HerbertDem40th Legislative DistrictGarrett HagedornRepGarrett HagedornRep
Close races Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:
gain
gain gain
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6
District 7
District 8
District 9
District 10
District 11
District 12
District 13
District 14
District 15
District 16
District 17
District 18
District 19
District 20
District 21
District 22
District 23
District 24
District 25
District 26
District 27
District 28
District 29
District 30
District 31
District 32
District 33
District 34
District 35
District 36
District 37
District 38
District 39
District 40
References