1961 New Jersey gubernatorial election

The 1961 New Jersey gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1961. Democratic nominee Richard J. Hughes defeated Republican nominee James P. Mitchell with 50.37% of the vote.

1961 New Jersey gubernatorial election

← 1957 November 7, 1961 1965 →
Turnout	73.3% of eligible voters (0.7 pp)[1]
Nominee Richard J. Hughes James P. Mitchell Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,084,194 1,049,274 Percentage 50.4% 48.7%
County results Hughes:      50–60%      60–70% Mitchell:      50–60%      60–70%
Governor before election Robert B. Meyner Democratic Elected Governor Richard J. Hughes Democratic

Primary elections were held on April 18, 1961.^[2]

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Eugene E. Demarest, former mayor of Hackensack (1960–61)^[3]
• Richard J. Hughes, attorney and former Mercer County Superior Court judge (1952–57)
• Weldon R. Sheets, Essex County Supervisor^[4]

Withdrew

• John J. Grogan, mayor of Hoboken and candidate for U.S. Senate in 1958^[5][6] (withdrew February 13, 1961)^[7]
• Michael Kearney, Fort Lee tax attorney^[8]

Declined

• Donal C. Fox, state senator for Essex County^[5]
• William F. Hyland, member of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities Commissioners and former assemblyman from Camden^[5]
• Grover C. Richman Jr., former Attorney General of New Jersey and U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey
• Frank Thompson, U.S. Representative from Trenton^[5]
• Harrison A. Williams, U.S. Senator since 1959^[5]

Campaign

From December 1960, outgoing governor Robert B. Meyner struggled with local and county party leaders to settle on an establishment candidate for the nomination. Meyner favored U.S. Senator Harrison A. Williams or public utilities commissioner William F. Hyland as his successor. Williams declined, and party leaders failed to reach an agreement for over two months.^[5]

Superior Court judge Richard J. Hughes emerged as a dark horse candidate for the nomination on February 5. Hughes, a self-avowed liberal and supporter of President Kennedy, had been elected to the Democratic state committee in 1937 and ran one failed campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1938. His campaign was led by Mercer County chair Thorn Lord, who was also Hughes's law partner, along with national committeeman David T. Wilentz and Hudson County chair John V. Kenny.^[7] After Frank Thompson declined party support for a second time, citing a request from President John F. Kennedy that he remain in Congress, party leaders quickly consolidated around Hughes. He received the backing of leadership in Burlington, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Mercer, Passaic and Union counties, making him the front-runner for organization support in the primary. George Cable of The New York Times remarked that Hughes's ascent to the nomination was "a clear victory for other top party leaders" over Meyner and was expected to lead John J. Grogan to withdraw and the Essex County party to withdraw its endorsement of Donal C. Fox.^[5]

On February 13, Hughes was officially designated as the organization candidate for governor with the support of 20 out of 21 county chairs. Grogan withdrew the same day.^[7] The designation was considered tantamount to election, as it ensured Hughes would have no serious opposition for the nomination at the April 18 primary election.^[7]

Results

Democratic primary results^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Richard J. Hughes	222,789	84.21
	Democratic	Weldon R. Sheets	21,285	8.05
	Democratic	Eugene E. Demarest	20,487	7.74
Total votes			264,561	100.00

Republican primary

Candidates

• Louis Berns, Oradell resident
• Wayne Dumont, state senator for Warren County^[9]
• Walter H. Jones, state senator for Bergen County^[9]
• James P. Mitchell, former United States Secretary of Labor^[10][11]

Withdrew

• Charles W. Sandman Jr., state senator for Cape May County (withdrew February 8, 1961; endorsed Jones)^[12][13]

Declined

• William T. Cahill, U.S. representative from Collingswood (endorsed Mitchell)^[10]
• Robert C. Crane, state senator for Union County^[14]
• Florence Dwyer, U.S. representative from Elizabeth (endorsed Mitchell)^[10]
• Peter Frelinghuysen, U.S. representative from Morristown (endorsed Mitchell)^[10]
• Richard R. Stout, state senator for Monmouth County^[9][15]

Senator Wayne Dumont was the first candidate to announce his campaign in late November 1960, following the presidential election. Walter H. Jones and Charles W. Sandman soon announced their campaigns.^[9]

Campaign

In late 1960, state senator Walter H. Jones was the early favorite for the Republican nomination over senators Dumont and Sandman, having gained the endorsements of the Republican organizations in Bergen, Hudson, Middlesex, Passaic, and Somerset counties, five counties which combined for almost half of the vote in typical Republican primaries.^[9] Essex County, which was reportedly leaning strongly toward Jones, accounted for another 20 to 30 percent.^[9] However, in a January 6 speech at Princeton, U.S. senator Clifford Case declared his intent to assume leadership of the New Jersey Republican Party, setting off a power struggle between state politicians and Republican members of Congress, led by Case.^[11]

Despite Jones's early lead, former Secretary of Labor James P. Mitchell joined the race on January 14 with support and urging from Case, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, and the Republican members of the New Jersey delegation to the United States House of Representatives.^[11] At his final cabinet meeting, Eisenhower produced a $100 bill and handed it to Mitchell as a campaign contribution. Mitchell's entry reshaped the race as a contest between Republican leaders in state and local government and those in Washington. On January 16, Republican state senators met in Trenton to rebuke Mitchell's candidacy; eight of the eleven Republican senators, led by Richard R. Stout, released a statement arguing that Mitchell "has not been active and is not familiar in the affairs of the state and has not had experience in state government and the problems facing the state."^[16] Only Thomas J. Hillery of Morris County and Wesley Lance of Hunterdon refused to sign the statement; Robert C. Crane of Union, who was undergoing treatment for fatal cancer, was absent.^[16]

On February 8, Sandman withdrew from the race in favor of Jones. All eight South Jersey county chairs who had supported him switched their endorsement to Jones, giving Jones organization support throughout the state.^[13] Dumont, however, said that he would "not withdraw under any circumstances."^[10]

Endorsements

Wayne Dumont

Local officials

• F. Edward Biertuempfel, mayor of Union Township

Walter H. Jones

State legislators

• Robert C. Crane, state senator for Union County
• Charles W. Sandman, state senator for Cape May

Political parties

• Atlantic County Republican Committee
• Bergen County Republican Committee
• Burlington County Republican Committee
• Camden County Republican Committee
• Cape May County Republican Committee
• Cumberland County Republican Committee
• Hudson County Republican Committee
• Gloucester County Republican Committee
• Middlesex County Republican Committee
• Ocean County Republican Committee
• Passaic County Republican Committee
• Salem County Republican Committee
• Somerset County Republican Committee

James P. Mitchell

Federal executive branch officials

• Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th President of the United States

U.S. senators

• Clifford P. Case, U.S. Senator from New Jersey since 1955

U.S. representatives

• James C. Auchincloss, U.S. Representative from Rumson
• William T. Cahill, U.S. Representative from Collingswood
• Florence Dwyer, U.S. Representative from Elizabeth
• Peter Frelinghuysen, U.S. Representative from Morristown

Political parties

• Union County Republican Committee

Charles W. Sandman (withdrew)

Political parties

• Atlantic County Republican Committee (switched endorsement to Jones)
• Burlington County Republican Committee (switched endorsement to Jones)
• Camden County Republican Committee (switched endorsement to Jones)
• Cape May County Republican Committee (switched endorsement to Jones)
• Cumberland County Republican Committee (switched endorsement to Jones)
• Gloucester County Republican Committee (switched endorsement to Jones)
• Ocean County Republican Committee (switched endorsement to Jones)
• Salem County Republican Committee (switched endorsement to Jones)

Richard R. Stout (declined)

Political parties

• Monmouth County Republican Committee

Results

Republican Party primary results^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	James P. Mitchell	202,188	43.68
	Republican	Walter H. Jones	160,553	34.69
	Republican	Wayne Dumont	95,761	20.69
	Republican	Louis Berns	4,376	0.95
Total votes			462,878	100.00

General election

Candidates

• G. George Addonizio, member of the Belleville Township Council^[17] (Independent)
• Richard J. Hughes, former Mercer County Superior Court judge (Democratic)
• Henry B. Krajewski, perennial candidate (Veterans Bonus Now)
• Edward J. Lueddeke (Prosperity with Liberty)
• Reinhardt V. Metzger, former Assemblyman from Essex County (Conservative)
• James P. Mitchell, former United States Secretary of Labor (Republican)
• Daniel Petrino (State Soldiers Bonus)
• Albert Ronis (Socialist Labor)
• Ruth F. Shiminsky (Socialist Workers)

Withdrew

• John J. Witzkowski, counsel to the Jersey City Board of Education and brother of Jersey City mayor Charles S. Witkowski^[18] (Independent)

Results

New Jersey gubernatorial election, 1961^[19]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Richard J. Hughes	1,084,194	50.37%	4.18
	Republican	James P. Mitchell	1,049,274	48.74%	4.28
	Conservative	Reinhardt V. Metzger	5,820	0.27%	0.03
	Independent	Henry B. Krajewski	3,904	0.18%	0.13
	Independent	Edward J. Lueddeke	2,541	0.12%	N/A
	Independent	G. George Addonizio	2,462	0.11%	N/A
	Socialist Labor	Albert Ronis	2,103	0.10%	0.21
	Independent	Daniel Petrino	1,393	0.07%	N/A
	Socialist Workers	Ruth F. Shiminsky	971	0.05%	N/A
Majority
Turnout
	Democratic hold		Swing

Results by county

By county

County Richard J. Hughes Democratic James P. Mitchell Republican Various candidates Other parties Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # % Atlantic 27,254 42.9% 34,766 54.7% 1,510 2.4% 7,512 11.8% 63,530 Bergen 123,421 41.4% 171,180 57.5% 3,236 1.4% 47,759 16.1% 297,837 Burlington 30,756 52.6% 27,331 46.8% 359 0.6% 3,425 5.8% 58,446 Camden 74,030 54.9% 59,984 44.5% 768 0.6% 14,046 10.4% 134,782 Cape May 8,725 43.9% 11,008 55.4% 133 0.6% 2,283 11.5% 19,866 Cumberland 19,266 54.7% 15,769 44.8% 169 0.5% 3,497 9.9% 35,204 Essex 156,033 53.1% 135,342 46.1% 2,418 0.8% 20,691 7.0% 293,793 Gloucester 25,289 51.0% 24,183 48.8% 109 0.2% 1,106 1.2% 49,581 Hudson 136,145 57.9% 95,886 40.8% 2,937 1.2% 40,259 17.1% 234,968 Hunterdon 8,725 42.7% 11,555 56.5% 168 0.8% 2,830 13.8% 20,448 Mercer 61,550 61.9% 37,444 37.6% 473 0.5% 24,106 24.3% 99,467 Middlesex 98,359 59.5% 65,577 39.7% 1,262 0.7% 32,782 19.8% 165,198 Monmouth 49,227 43.8% 61,513 54.8% 1,584 1.5% 12,286 11.0% 112,324 Morris 29,216 34.7% 54,564 64.7% 531 0.6% 25,348 30.0% 84,311 Ocean 18,154 41.9% 24,753 57.1% 416 1.0% 6,599 15.2% 43,323 Passaic 72,175 53.6% 61,176 45.5% 1,221 0.9% 10,999 8.1% 134,572 Salem 12,237 56.2% 9,532 43.8% 11 0.01% 2,705 12.4% 21,780 Somerset 22,784 43.9% 28,596 55.1% 477 0.9% 5,812 11.2% 51,857 Sussex 7,674 39.7% 11,611 60.1% 44 0.3% 3,937 20.4% 19,329 Union 90,912 48.0% 97,205 51.3% 1,313 0.7% 6,293 3.3% 189,430 Warren 12,262 54.2% 10,299 45.5% 55 0.2% 1,963 8.7% 22,616 Totals 1,084,194 50.37% 1,049,274 48.74% 19,194 0.91% 34,920 1.63% 2,207,931 Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Monmouth Somerset Union