NEW JERSEY
     Nov. 7, 2017 Governor

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+Philip Murphy/Sheila Oliver (D)
1,203,110
56.03%
Kim Guadagno/Carlos A. Rendo (R)
899,583
41.89%
Gina Genovese (I)
12,294
0.57%
Pete Rohrman (L)
10,531
0.49%
Seth Kaper-Dale/Lisa Durden (G)
10,053
0.47%
Matt Riccardi (C)
6,864
0.32%
Vincent Ross (I)
4,980
0.23%

2,147,415

Registered voters: 5,703,654.
Plurality 303,527 votes (14.14 percentage points).
 NJ Dept. of State



DEMOCRATIC PICK UP
Notes: This was a Democratic pick-up.  Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno (R) faced a tough challenge in seeking to succeed term-limited Gov. Chris Christie (R), who in mid-2017 had the dubious distinction of being "New Jersey's least popular governor ever."  Property taxes were a ma
jor issue.  Turnout at 37.6% was a record low, eclipsing the previous low set in 2013.

Both major parties had competitive primaries on June 6.  Murphy vastly outspent his opponents and obtained 48.37% of the vote, besting leading challengers attorney and former U.S. Treasury Department official Jim Johnson (21.89%) and Assemblyman and former state Democratic chairman John Wisniewski (21.55%).  Guadagno (46.70%) finished well ahead of Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli (30.99%).

On July 25 Murphy announced former Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver as his running mate, and on July 27 Guadagno announced Woodcliff Lake Mayor Carlos Rendo as her running mate.

The two major party candidates engaged in two televised debates:

Oct. 10 - sponsored by WABC 7 New York and WPVI 6 Philadelphia and media partners at the New Jersey Center for the Performing Arts in Newark (>).

Oct. 18 - sponsored by WCBS-TV New York and KYW-TV Philadelphia at William Paterson University in Wayne (>).


The New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) reported, "Candidates for governor spent $34.3 million on the primary and $20.3 million on the general election, while independent groups spent $9.1 million on pre-primary and primary spending along with $15.3 million during the general election. The grand total including candidates and independent groups: $79.1 million."  The Murphy campaign outspent the Guadagno campaign by $14.5 million to $5.6 milion.  ELEC further noted that the $24.5 million in total independent spending was a record (>).


Campaign Managers:
Phil Murphy: Brendan Gill
President and CEO of BGill Group, a public affairs company, since Jan. 2015; Essex County freeholder since Jan. 2012.  Campaign manager on U.S. Sen. Cory Booker's re-election, Jan.-Dec. 2014; senior advisor to Sen. Booker, Aug.-Dec. 2013.  State director for U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg, Dec. 2009-Aug. 2013; senior advisor to Lautenberg, Nov. 2007-Dec. 2009; and campaign manager for Lautenberg, May-Nov. 2008.  Communications director for the NJ Department of Transportation, Mar. 2005-Nov. 2007.  Campaign director for Menendez for Senate/NJ Coordiinated Campaign, June-Nov. 2006.  District director to U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman (NJ-9), Sept. 2002-Jan. 2005.  Chief of staff to NJ Assemblyment Eagler and Edwards (LD34), Nov. 2001-Sept. 2002; campaign manager to Nia Gill for State Senate and Eagler and Edwards for Assembly, June-Nov. 2001.  Public information officer/law clerk in the Office of the Passaic County Counsel, Jan.-June 2001.  Campaign manager on Pascrell for Congress, June-Nov. 2000.  District field director, Jan.-Aug. 1999.  Field rep./scheduler to U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr., Jan. 1997-Dec. 1998.  Essex Co. field director on Pascrell for Congress (NJ-8), May-Dec. 1996.  B.A. in political science and government from Seton Hall University, 1996.

Kim Guadagno: David Huguenel
Consultant with Jamestown Associates.  Regional political director for the New Jersey Republican State Committee. 
Executive director of the Promote Oregon Leadership PAC, 2015-16. Campaign manager on U.S. Rep. Ánh "Joseph" Cao's (LA) unsucessful 2010 re-election.  Originally from New Orleans, LA.














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