The 1978 United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey were held on November 7, 1978, to determine who would represent the people of New Jersey in the United States House of Representatives. This election coincided with national elections for 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 1978 United States House of Representatives elections in New JerseyPartyVotesPercentageCandidatesSeats+/–Democratic1,043,74753.97%15101Republican837,78343.32%1551Libertarian5,1690.27%50Socialist Labor1,7550.09%30US Labor1,1960.06%30Independents44,2732.29%80Totals1,933,923100.00%15
District 1
Incumbent Democrat 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 Robert M. Deitch, Sicklerville resident
Results
General election Candidates Robert M. Deitch, Sicklerville resident (Republican) James Florio, incumbent Representative since 1975 (Republican) Julius Levin, perennial candidate (Socialist Labor)
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 James H. Biggs, Methodist minister and former mayor of Island Heights
Results
General election Candidates James H. Biggs, Methodist minister and former mayor of Island Heights (Republican) William J. Hughes, incumbent Representative since 1975 (Democratic)
Results
District 3
Incumbent Democrat 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 Bruce G. Coe, executive director of the New Jersey Commission on Capital Budgeting and Planning Results
General election Candidates James J. Howard, incumbent Representative since 1965 (Democratic) Bruce G. Coe, executive director of the New Jersey Commission on Capital Budgeting and Planning (Republican) Stevenson M. Enterline, former Republican member of the Matawan borough council (Libertarian)
Results
District 4
Incumbent Democrat Frank Thompson won. This district, in Central Jersey, consisted of parts of Burlington, Mercer, Middlesex, and Monmouth counties.
Democratic primary Candidates Frank Thompson, incumbent Representative since 1955
Results
Republican primary Candidates Chris Smith, chair of the New Jersey Right to Life Committee
Results
General election Candidates Judson Carter Sr. (Independent) John Val Jean Mahalchik, populist gadfly and perennial candidate (Betsy Ross) Paul B. Rizzo (Independent) Chris Smith, chair of the New Jersey Right to Life Committee (Republican) Frank Thompson, incumbent Representative since 1955 (Democratic)
Withdrew
Jack Moyers (Libertarian) (ran for U.S. Senate)
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
Results
Democratic primary Candidates John T. Fahy, mayor of Parsippany
Results
General election Candidates John T. Fahy, mayor of Parsippany (Democratic) Millicent Fenwick, incumbent Representative since 1975 (Republican)
Results
District 6
Incumbent Republican Edwin B. Forsythe won.
This district included parts of Burlington, Camden, and Ocean counties.
Republican primary Candidates Richard D. Amber, Mount Holly resident Edwin B. Forsythe, incumbent Representative from Moorestown since 1970
Results
Democratic primary Candidates Joseph Carroll W. Thomas McGann, former Superior Court judge
Results
General election Candidates Bernardo S. Doganiero, perennial candidate (Socialist Labor) Edwin B. Forsythe, incumbent Representative from Moorestown since 1970 (Republican) W. Thomas McGann, former Superior Court judge (Democratic) Hazel McGlory, Burlington Township widow and prisoner (Betsy Ross) Charles M. Pike Jr. (Libertarian)
Results
District 7
Incumbent Andrew Maguire was re-elected to a third term in office. This district included western parts of Bergen County.
Democratic primary Candidates Andrew Maguire, incumbent Representative since 1975
Results
Republican primary Candidates Marge Roukema, former member of the Ridgewood board of education Gerald L. Williams, Mahwah businessman and member of the John Birch Society Joseph C. Woodcock, former state senator and candidate for governor in 1977
Declined
James J. Sheehan, member of the Wyckoff township committee and nominee for this district in 1976
Results
General election Candidates Elliot Greenspan (Labor) Andrew Maguire, incumbent Representative since 1975 (Democratic) Marge Roukema, former member of the Ridgewood Board of Education (Republican) Robert Shapiro, chair of the Bergen County Libertarian Party (Libertarian)
Results
District 8
Incumbent Robert Roe won. This district included parts of Bergen and Passaic counties.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Robert A. Roe, incumbent Representative from Wayne since 1969
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Thomas Melani, Wayne attorney
Results
General election
Candidates Thomas Melani, Wayne attorney (Republican) Robert A. Roe, incumbent Representative from Wayne since 1969 (Democratic)
Results
District 9
This district consisted of parts of Bergen and Hudson counties.
Incumbent Republican Harold C. Hollenbeck won.
Republican primary
Candidates
Harold Hollenbeck, incumbent Representative from East Rutherford since 1977 Hugh A. Wagner, Alpine resident
Results
Democratic primary Candidates Albert Burstein, assemblyman from Teaneck Mike Jousan Jr., Leonia reverend Nicholas Mastorelli, executive director of the North Hudson Council of Mayors
Declined
Byron Baer, assemblyman from Englewood and candidate for this district in 1976 Anthony Scardino, state senator from Lyndhurst
Results
General election Candidates Henry Helstoski, former Representative for this district (Independent) Harold Hollenbeck, incumbent Representative from East Rutherford since 1977 (Republican) Nicholas S. Mastorelli, executive director of the North Hudson Council of Mayors (Democratic) Bruce Todd (Labor)
Results
District 10
The district included parts of Essex and Hudson counties. Incumbent Democrat Peter W. Rodino won.
Democratic primary Candidates Peter W. Rodino, incumbent Representative since 1949
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
John L. Pelt, Newark car salesman
Declined
Tony Grandison, former Newark Housing Authority supervisor and nominee for this district in 1976
Results
General election
Candidates Tony Austin (Socialist Workers) Gordon A. Douglas (Labor) John L. Pelt, Newark car salesman (Republican) Peter W. Rodino, incumbent Representative since 1949 (Democratic)
Results
District 11
Incumbent Democrat Joseph Minish won. This district consisted of parts of Bergen, Essex, Passaic, and Union counties.
Democratic primary
Candidates Jack Horn, Nutley accountant Joseph Minish, incumbent Representative from West Orange since 1963
Results
Republican primary
Candidates Julius George Feld, South Orange resident
Results
General election Candidates Julius George Feld, South Orange resident (Republican) Joseph Minish, incumbent Representative from West Orange since 1963 (Democratic) Richard S. Roth (Libertarian)
Resultsd
District 12
Incumbent Matt Rinaldo won. This district included parts of Union County.
Republican primary Candidates Matt Rinaldo, incumbent Representative from Union since 1973
Results
Democratic primary Candidates Richard McCormack, member of the Kenilworth borough council
Results
General election Candidates Richard McCormack, member of the Kenilworth borough council (Democratic) Matt Rinaldo, incumbent Representative from Union since 1973 (Republican)
Results
District 13
This sprawling district included Hunterdon, Sussex, and Warren counties and parts of Mercer and Morris counties.
Incumbent Representative Helen Stevenson Meyner ran for re-election to a third term in office but was defeated by Jim Courter.
Democratic primary Candidates Helen Stevenson Meyner, incumbent Representative since 1975 and former First Lady of New Jersey
Results
Republican primary Candidates Frank Bell, East Hanover engineer Jim Courter, Warren County assistant prosecutor William E. Schluter, former state senator from Pennington and nominee for this district in 1976 Joseph F. Warganz, former chair of the New Jersey Right to Life Committee Ronald Williams
Withdrew
Dick Zimmer, attorney, adviser to assemblyman Thomas Kean, and former chair of New Jersey common causePulley, Brett. "Zimmer Has Set Aside Calm for His Political Passions", The New York Times, June 5, 1996. Accessed April 13, 2008.
Results
General election Candidates Jim Courter, Warren County assistant prosecutor (Republican) Helen Stevenson Meyner, incumbent Representative since 1975 and former First Lady of New Jersey (Democratic)
Withdrew
Dale Sutthoff, vice-chair of the New Jersey Libertarian Party (Libertarian)
Results
District 14
This district included parts of Hudson County.
Incumbent representative Joseph A. LeFante did not run for re-election to a second term. Frank J. Guarini was elected to the open seat.
Democratic primary Candidates Raymond J. Connelly Frank J. Guarini, incumbent Representative since 1979 Anthony P. Scalcione Declined Joseph A. LeFante, incumbent Representative since 1977
Results
Republican primary Candidates Henry J. Hill, member of the Kearny city council
Results
General election Candidates Frank J. Guarini, incumbent Representative since 1979 (Democratic) Henry J. Hill, member of the Kearny city council (Republican) Thomas E. McDonough (Independent) John E. Walton (Independent)
Results
District 15
This district included parts of Middlesex and Union counties. Incumbent Democrat Edward J. Patten was re-elected to a ninth term in office, though he faced strong challenges in both the Democratic primary and general election over his ties to the Koreagate scandal.
Democratic primary Candidates Edward J. Patten, incumbent Representative since 1963 George A. Spadoro, Edison attorney
Results
Republican primary Candidates Charles W. Wiley, freelance journalist
Results
General election Candidates Ann V. Bastian (Peoples Independent Coalition) Michael Fieschko, member of the Libertarian National Committee and candidate for General Assembly in 1977 (Libertarian) Edward J. Patten, incumbent Representative since 1963 (Democratic) Charles W. Wiley, freelance journalist (Republican)
Results
References