The 1991 New Jersey General Assembly election was held on November 5, 1991.
The elections took place midway through Jim Florio's term as Governor of New Jersey. As in the concurrent New Jersey Senate elections, the Republican Party won a historic landslide, gaining 21 seats to win veto-proof supermajorities in both chambers of the state legislature. Republicans flipped at least one seat in thirteen Assembly districts and both seats in eight districts, dominating in the New Jersey suburbs and reducing the Democratic Party to a handful of urban centers.
As of , the Republican Assembly majority of 58 seats is the largest for the Republican party since the adoption of the district map in 1973. This is the last time that Republicans held a veto-proof majority in the chamber, and the last for either party until 2017. Republicans flipped one seat in districts 1, 2, 15, 21, and 34, as well as both seats in districts 4, 7, 10, 11, 14, 18, 19, and 36. From 1992 to 2002, Republicans controlled the Assembly.
Background
Redistricting
As required, the New Jersey legislature redistricted its state legislative districts in advance of the 1991 election. Redistricting was on balance considered to have favored Republicans.
Tax increase
A centerpiece of the Florio administration's legislative agenda was the passage of a $2.8 billion tax increase. Republicans centered their 1991 campaign on opposition to the increase, as did even some incumbent Democrats, such as Senator Paul Contillo. According to the Florio administration, the tax increase was designed to aid blue-collar workers, who were "also the people most upset by enactment of the taxes."
Gun control
A strict gun control measure was another major legislative achievement of the Florio administration. The bill's passage led the National Rifle Association of America to spend nearly $250,000 in the 1991 elections targeting candidates in both parties who had voted in favor of the bill and supporting those who pledged to repeal it.
Incumbents not running for re-election
Democratic
Additionally, several Democrats resigned their seats late in the 1991 campaign to join the Florio administration, including Joseph D. Patero, Edward H. Salmon, Frank M. Pelly.
Republican
Summary of races
Voters in each legislative district elect two members to the New Jersey General Assembly.
Close races
Districts where the difference of total votes between the top-two parties was under 10%:
- gain
- gain
- gain R
- gain
- gain R
- gain
District 1
General election
Candidates
Results
District 2
General election
Candidates
Results
District 3
General election
Candidates
- Jack Collins, incumbent Assembly member since 1986 (Republican)
- Albert S. Fogg III (Populist)
- James H. Orr Jr. (Populist)
- Gary Stuhltrager, incumbent Assembly member since 1986 (Republican)
- Nancy L. Sungenis (Democratic)
- Benjamin W. Timberman (Democratic)
Results
District 4
General election
Candidates
Results
District 5
General election
Candidates
- Wayne R. Bryant, incumbent Assembly member since 1982 (Democratic)
- Walter Jost (Republican)
- John Randall (Republican)
- Joseph J. Roberts, incumbent Assembly member since 1987 (Democratic)
Results
District 6
General election
Candidates
- Lewis Friedner (Democratic)
- Leonard P. Krivy (Democratic)
- John A. Rocco, incumbent Assembly member since 1980 (Republican)
- Lee Solomon (Republican)
Results
District 7
General election
Candidates
Results
District 8
General election
Candidates
- James S. Brophy (Democratic)
- Harold L. Colburn Jr., incumbent Assembly member since 1984 (Republican)
- Robert C. Shinn Jr., incumbent Assembly member since 1985 (Republican)
- Arthur J. Zeichner (Democratic)
Results
District 9
General election
Candidates
- Christopher J. Connors, incumbent Assembly member since 1990 (Republican)
- Edward W. Frydendahl Jr. (Democratic)
- Jeffrey Moran, incumbent Assembly member since 1986 (Republican)
- Len Morano (Democratic)
Results
District 10
General election
Candidates
Results
District 11
General election
Candidates
Results
District 12
General election
Candidates
- Michael Arnone, incumbent Assembly member since 1988 and former mayor of Red Bank (Republican)
- Arnold Bellush (Democratic)
- James H. Dorn (Accountable Independent)
- Clare Farragher, incumbent Assembly member since 1987 and member of the Freehold Township Committee (Republican)
- Michael A. Ferguson (Democratic)
- Virginia A. Flynn (Libertarian)
- Donald W. Jamison (Libertarian)
Results
District 13
General election
Candidates
- Irvin B. Beaver
- Richard A. Cooper
- Joe Kyrillos, incumbent Assembly member since 1988 (Republican)
- Claudia Montelione (Libertarian)
- Joann H. Smith, incumbent Assembly member since 1986 (Republican)
Results
District 14
General election
Candidates
Results
District 15
General election
Candidates
Results
District 16
General election
Candidates
- Walter J. Kavanaugh, incumbent Assembly member since 1978 (Republican)
- John S. Penn, incumbent Assembly member since 1984 (Republican)
- Julia Pepe Cino (Democratic)
- James C. Walker (Democratic)
Results
District 17
General election
Candidates
- Joseph S. Ginn (The People's Voice)
- Jerry Green, Union County Freeholder (Democratic)
- Frank A. Santoro (Republican)
- Bob Smith, incumbent Assembly member since 1986 (Democratic)
- Al Olszewski (Populist)
- Barbara Weigel (Republican)
- Moses Williams (Equal Justice Committee)
Results
District 18
General election
Candidates
Results
District 19
General election
Candidates
Results
District 20
General election
Candidates
- Tom Dunn, mayor of Elizabeth and former member of the State Senate (Democratic)
- Philip G. Gentile (Republican)
- George Hudak, incumbent Assembly member since 1986 (Democratic)
- Richard E. Hunt (Republican)
Results
District 21
General election
Candidates
Results
District 22
General election
Candidates
Results
District 23
General election
Candidates
- Rosemarie Albanese (Democratic)
- Diane Bowman (Democratic)
- Frederick P. Cook (Reduce Insurance Rates)
- Chuck Haytaian, incumbent Assembly member since 1982 (Republican)
- Leonard Lance, incumbent Assembly member since February 1991 (Republican)
- Charles D. Meyer (Citizen Not Politician)
Results
District 24
General election
Candidates
- Stuart Bacha (Populist)
- Scott Garrett, incumbent Assembly member since 1990 (Republican)
- Dick Kamin, incumbent Assembly member since 1986 (Republican)
- Michael J. Larose (Democratic)
- Compton C. Pakenham (Populist)
Results
District 25
General election
Candidates
- Arthur R. Albohn, incumbent Assembly member since 1980 (Republican)
- Rodney Frelinghuysen, incumbent Assembly member since 1984 (Republican)
- Ann Avram Humber (Democratic)
- Marc N. Pindus (Democratic)
Results
District 26
General election
Candidates
- Alex DeCroce, incumbent Assembly member since 1989 (Republican)
- Richard Hrazanek (Populist)
- Robert Martin, incumbent Assembly member since 1985 (Republican)
- Patricia Pilson Scott (Democratic)
- Jerry Vitiello (Democratic)
Results
District 27
General election
Candidates
- Robert L. Brown (Democratic)
- Stephanie R. Bush, incumbent Assembly member since 1988 (Democratic)
- Dorcas O'Neal-Williams (Republican)
- Daniel L. Tindall Jr. (Direct Representative)
Results
District 28
General election
Candidates
- Consiglia Amato-DeMeo (Republican)
- Phyllis C. Cedola (Republican)
- Al Duncan (Socialist Workers)
- Marlene Karen Kopperud (Socialist Workers)
- Harry McEnroe, incumbent Assembly member since 1980 (Democratic)
- James Zangari, incumbent Assembly member since 1980 (Democratic)
Results
District 29
General election
Candidates
- Delores W. Battle (Proven Leadership)
- Willie B. Brown, incumbent Assembly member since 1974 (Democratic)
- Kurt A. Culbreath (Republican)
- Don Mackle (Socialist Workers)
- Jackie Mattison, incumbent Assembly member since 1988 and chief of staff to Newark mayor Sharpe James (Democratic)
- Jason Redrup (Socialist Workers)
- Janie R. Thomas (Republican)
Results
District 30
General election
Candidates
Results
District 31
General election
Candidates
- Joseph Charles, incumbent Assembly member since 1982 (Democratic)
- Joseph Doria, Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly and incumbent Assembly member since 1980 (Democratic)
- Michael D. Webb (Republican)
- James Patrick White (Republican)
Results
District 32
General election
Candidates
- Gaston Delgado (Republican)
- Anthony Impreveduto, incumbent Assembly member since 1988 and member of the Secaucus Town Council (Democratic)
- David Kronick, incumbent Assembly member since 1988 (Democratic)
- Robert MacMillan
Results
District 33
General election
Candidates
Results
District 34
General election
Candidates
- Marion Crecco, incumbent Assembly member since 1986 (Republican) (re-districted from 30th district)
- Sabina O'Brien (Democratic)
- Victor Rabbat (Democratic)
- Gerald H. Zecker, incumbent Assembly member since 1984 and former mayor of Clifton (Republican)
Results
District 35
General election
Candidates
Results
District 36
General election
Candidates
- Paul DiGaetano, member of the Passaic City Council and former Assembly member (Republican)
- Louis J. Gill, incumbent Assembly member since 1988 (Democratic)
- John V. Kelly, incumbent Assembly member since 1986 and mayor of Nutley (Republican) (re-districted from 30th district)
- Alfred R. Restiano (Democratic)
Results
District 37
General election
Candidates
- Byron Baer, incumbent Assembly member since 1972 (Democratic)
- John Gramuglia (Independent)
- Joseph Marino (Independent)
- D. Bennett Mazur, incumbent Assembly member since 1982 (Democratic)
- Harvey Salb (Republican)
- John R. Smith (Republican)
Results
District 38
General election
Candidates
Results
District 39
General election
Candidates
Results
District 40
General election
Candidates
- William J. Branagh (Democratic)
- Martin Etler (Democratic)
- Nicholas Felice, incumbent Assembly member since 1982 (Republican)
- David C. Russo, incumbent Assembly member since 1990 (Republican)
Results
Notes
See also
References