1993 New Jersey gubernatorial election

{{Main|1989 New Jersey gubernatorial election}}

In the 1989 New Jersey gubernatorial election, Florio—then a U.S. representative—defeated Republican U.S. representative Jim Courter by a wide margin.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/03/03/nyregion/courter-won-t-run-for-house-again.html|title=Courter Won't Run for House Again |newspaper=The New York Times |last=Depalma |first=Anthony |date=March 3, 1990}} Previously, Florio had unsuccessfully challenged Democratic incumbent governor Brendan Byrne in 1977{{cite web|url=https://nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/1920-1970//1977-primary-election.pdf |title=Results of the Primary Election Held June 7, 1977 |publisher=Secretary of State of New Jersey |year=1977 |access-date=August 28, 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://newjerseyglobe.com/governor/five-n-j-governors-have-avoided-re-election-primaries-and-murphy-is-one-of-them/ |title=Five N.J. governors have avoided re-election primaries and Murphy is one of them |website=NewJerseyGlobe.com |last=Wildstein |first=David |date=June 6, 2021}} and had lost the 1981 gubernatorial election to Republican Thomas Kean.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nj.com/news/2021/11/the-tightest-governors-race-in-nj-history-came-down-to-1797-votes-will-this-race-be-closer.html|title=The tightest N.J. governor's race ever came down to 1,797 votes. Will Murphy-Ciattarelli be closer?|last=Mueller |first=Karin Price |date=November 3, 2021|website=NJ.com}}

During his 1989 campaign, Florio said, "You can write this statement down: 'Florio feels there is no need for new taxes'".{{cite web|url=https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/columnists/mike-kelly/2018/05/11/jim-florios-message-phil-murphy-raise-taxes-just-do/601214002/|title=Former NJ Gov. Jim Florio's message to Gov. Phil Murphy on raising taxes: Just do it |website=NorthJersey.com |last=Kelly |first=Mike |date=May 11, 2018}} In 1990, Florio signed a $2.8 billion tax increase into law.{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-11-01-mn-51988-story.html |title=Voters Seem Dissatisfied, Uncertain on Election Eve : Campaigns: Gubernatorial, mayoral posts at stake. No sweeping winds of change gauged in off-year races. |date=November 1, 1993 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |author=Brownstein, Ronald |access-date=June 16, 2015}}

The centerpiece of the Florio administration's legislative agenda was a $2.8 billion increase in tax revenues, which one consultant identified "the largest single tax increase in the history of the finances of the 50 states" and "a national test case on both political and economic grounds."{{Cite news |last=King |first=Wayne |date=23 July 1990 |title=Florio Faces Growing Anti-Tax Storm in New Jersey |pages=B1 |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/07/23/nyregion/florio-faces-growing-anti-tax-storm-in-new-jersey.html |access-date=4 July 2022}} The tax increase was highly unpopular, leading to non-partisan protests throughout the state. The Florio administration adopted a wait-and-see approach, hoping that protests would desist once the legislative package delivered benefits in the form of rebate checks, lower auto insurance rates, and increased funding for education.

Two other major legislative achievements were a popular gun control measure targeted at "assault-style weapons"{{Cite news |last=Gray |first=Jerry |date=28 Feb 1993 |title=N.R.A. Makes Beating Florio Its Prime Issue |pages=33 |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/02/28/nyregion/nra-makes-beating-florio-its-prime-issue.html |access-date=4 Jul 2022}}{{Cite news |last=Sullivan |first=Joseph F. |date=1 Nov 1991 |title=Focus Is on a Few Close Races for New Jersey Legislature |pages=B1 |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/11/01/nyregion/focus-is-on-a-few-close-races-for-new-jersey-legislature.html |access-date=4 July 2022}}{{Cite news |last=King |first=Wayne |date=23 Aug 1992 |title=N.R.A. Is Politically Armed and, to Florio, Dangerous |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/08/23/nyregion/nra-is-politically-armed-and-to-florio-dangerous.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150526063419/https://www.nytimes.com/1992/08/23/nyregion/nra-is-politically-armed-and-to-florio-dangerous.html |archive-date=May 26, 2015 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription}} and the Quality Education Act, which set new standards for public schools and set strict spending caps on local school boards.{{Cite news |last=King |first=Wayne |date=1 Sep 1991 |title=Teachers Flunk Democrats (And Vice Versa) in Jersey |pages=R5 |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/09/01/weekinreview/the-region-teachers-flunk-democrats-and-vice-versa-in-jersey.html |access-date=4 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150525222608/https://www.nytimes.com/1991/09/01/weekinreview/the-region-teachers-flunk-democrats-and-vice-versa-in-jersey.html |archive-date=May 25, 2015 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription}}{{Cite news |last=Weisman |first=Jonathan |date=23 Oct 1991 |title=Shift in Education Politics Seen in N.J. Election Battle |work=Education Week |url=https://www.edweek.org/education/shift-in-education-politics-seen-in-n-j-election-battle/1991/10 |access-date=5 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210802232020/https://www.edweek.org/education/shift-in-education-politics-seen-in-n-j-election-battle/1991/10 |archive-date=August 2, 2021 |url-status=live}}

{{Main|1990 United States Senate election in New Jersey}}

By fall 1990, Florio's approval rating sank to 18 percent; it would not exceed the low twenties until 1992.{{Cite news |last=Russakoff |first=Dale |date=12 Apr 1993 |title=THE GOV WHOSE TIME HAS COME |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1993/04/12/the-gov-whose-time-has-come/c3cf4e18-f3d9-4b46-a2c3-2bbce261662e/ |access-date=4 July 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240123170036/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1993/04/12/the-gov-whose-time-has-come/c3cf4e18-f3d9-4b46-a2c3-2bbce261662e/ |archive-date=January 23, 2024 |url-status=live}}

The political impact of the anti-Florio "tax revolt" manifested in November 1990, when incumbent United States senator Bill Bradley was nearly unseated by Christine Todd Whitman. During her campaign, Whitman repeatedly asked Bradley for his position on the increase, but he demurred, calling it a state issue.{{Cite news |last=Sullivan |first=Joseph F. |date=3 June 1991 |title=New Jersey Primary Offers Outlet for Voter Tax Anger |pages=B2 |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/06/03/nyregion/new-jersey-primary-offers-outlet-for-voter-tax-anger.html |access-date=4 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110115106/https://www.nytimes.com/1991/06/03/nyregion/new-jersey-primary-offers-outlet-for-voter-tax-anger.html |archive-date=November 10, 2012 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription}} Whitman's underdog near-victory endeared her to the Republican voter base and made her a symbol of opposition to Florio.

{{See also|1991 New Jersey State Senate election}}

Republicans centered their 1991 legislative campaign on opposition to the Florio tax increase, as did even some incumbent Democrats, such as Senator Paul Contillo. Florio also faced backlash from the NRA Political Victory Fund, which spent nearly $250,000 targeting candidates in both parties who had voted in favor of the bill and supporting those who pledged to repeal it, and the New Jersey Education Association, which had supported Florio in 1989 but endorsed almost exclusively Republican candidates in response to the education spending caps.

The result was a resounding Republican victory in the 1991 elections. The Republicans gained ten seats in the State Senate (controlling the chamber for the first time since 1974) and 21 seats in the General Assembly. Both houses won veto-proof Republican majorities, which may have drawn political pressure off Florio for the remainder of his term. Florio's approval ratings began to rebound as the Republican legislature was given a share of the blame for the state's budgetary dysfunction.{{citation needed|date=September 2023}}

• Jim Florio, incumbent governor

• John Budzash, anti-tax protestor

Florio was unopposed in the June primary election. Former Howell Township postal worker, John Budzash, originally filed to run against Florio in the primary. Budzash, who switched his party registration from Republican to Democratic one day before the filing deadline, led Hands Across New Jersey, a citizens group that protested the state tax increases.{{cite news |url=http://articles.philly.com/1993-04-16/news/25979356_1_hands-across-new-jersey-jim-florio-tax-protesters |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151226073538/http://articles.philly.com/1993-04-16/news/25979356_1_hands-across-new-jersey-jim-florio-tax-protesters |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 26, 2015 |title=Florio Gets An Opponent For Primary John L. Budzash Co-founded Hands Across New Jersey. He Had Just Registered As A Democrat. |newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=April 16, 1993 |author=Enda, Jodi |access-date=June 12, 2015}} He was removed following a complaint from then-state party chair Raymond Lesniak alleging that many of his petition signatures were invalid.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/04/22/nyregion/ruling-is-likely-to-take-florio-rival-off-ballot.html |title=Ruling Is Likely to Take Florio Rival Off Ballot |date=April 22, 1993 |author=Gray, Jerry |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=June 12, 2015}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Democratic primary results{{cite web |url=http://www.njelections.org/election-results/1993-primary-election-results-governor.pdf |title=Gubernatorial Primary Election Results for Election Held on June 8, 1993 |publisher=Secretary of State of New Jersey |year=1993 |access-date=June 12, 2015}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = James Florio (incumbent)

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 200,420

| percentage = 100.00

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 200,420

| percentage= 100.00

}}

{{Election box end}}

Following W. Cary Edwards's loss to Jim Courter in the 1989 primary, Edwards was seen as the natural favorite for the 1993 nomination. He was a key member of the popular Thomas Kean administration, first as general counsel and then as state attorney general. However, his path to the nomination became complicated by Christine Todd Whitman's 1990 campaign for United States Senate. Her underdog two-point loss endeared her to the party base and made her the leading public advocate of the anti-tax cause.

Whitman continued to build her profile by founding a political action committee, the Committee for an Affordable New Jersey, through which she campaigned for Republican candidates in the 1991 midterm elections.{{Cite news |last=Pieretti |first=Fred |date=14 Mar 1991 |title=GOP'S Christine Whitman helps party, herself with new group |pages=3 |work=The Vineland Daily Journal |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/280967217 |access-date=2 Sep 2022}} Whitman took on a full campaign speaking schedule through October 1992 and worked to distance herself from veteran consultant Roger Stone after Stone facilitated a primary challenge to State Senator William Gormley, a potential 1993 opponent.

• W. Cary Edwards, candidate for governor in 1989 and former New Jersey Attorney General and State Assemblyman from Oakland
• J. Patrick Gilligan, American Stock Exchange consultant and former Morris Township board of education member{{cite news |url=http://articles.philly.com/1993-06-08/news/25972364_1_primary-day-cliff-zukin-republican-gubernatorial-candidates |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160104030930/http://articles.philly.com/1993-06-08/news/25972364_1_primary-day-cliff-zukin-republican-gubernatorial-candidates |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 4, 2016 |title=Judgment Day For Gop As Voters Pick An Opponent For Gov. Florio In Camden, There Is A Primary For Mayor And Council. Counties Are Picking Freeholder Nominees. And Every Senate And Assembly Seat Is Up For Grabs. |date=June 8, 1993 |author=Enda, Jodi |newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer |access-date=June 12, 2015}}{{cite news|title=An Admitted Long Shot, Gilligan Shows Optimism|last=Romano|first=Jay|date=16 May 1993|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/05/16/nyregion/an-admitted-long-shot-gilligan-shows-optimism.html|access-date=4 Oct 2021|newspaper=The New York Times}}
• James Wallwork, former state senator from Short Hills and candidate for governor in 1981
• Christine Todd Whitman, former Somerset County freeholder and Board of Public Utilities president, and nominee for the United States Senate in 1990

• Charles P. Hoffman, business consultant (withdrew May 6, endorsed Wallwork)

• William Gormley, state senator from Mays Landing and candidate for governor in 1989{{Cite news |last=Conohan |first=Sherry |date=11 Aug 1991 |title=Whitman helps get GOP's, and her own, message out |pages=3 |work=Asbury Park Press |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/145563134 |access-date=2 Sep 2022}}
• Thomas Kean, former governor of New Jersey

The primary campaign was marked by negative exchanges between the three strongest candidates and Whitman's clear status as the front-runner throughout.

The campaign began as a two-candidate race between Christine Whitman and Cary Edwards. Polling suggested that either would beat Governor Florio but that Whitman was generally the stronger of the two. In February, responding to national controversy over nominee for U.S. Attorney General Zoë Baird's hiring of illegal aliens in violation of federal law, both candidates voluntarily disclosed that they had done so too and failed to required taxes or fines. The revelation dramatically weakened both campaigns; seventy percent of voters said the admission was very or somewhat serious.{{cite news|title=Whitman, Edwards in trouble, voters say|date=9 Feb 1993|newspaper=The Morristown Daily Record|page=1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/254938926/|url-access=subscription|access-date=6 Sep 2022}}{{cite news|title=Alien hires hurting hopefuls|last=Chambers|first=Steve|newspaper=Asbury Park Press|date=9 Feb 1993|page=1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/145926528/|url-access=subscription|access-date=6 Sep 2022}}

Soon after, former state senator James Wallwork declared his candidacy as a conservative alternative to Whitman and Edwards,{{cite news|title=Campaigning With Jim Wallwork|last=Romano|first=Jay|date=16 May 1993|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/05/16/nyregion/campaigning-with-jim-wallwork.html|access-date=4 Oct 2021|newspaper=The New York Times}} tapping into populist unrest. Like H. Ross Perot and Jerry Brown had during the 1992 presidential campaign, Wallwork offered voters a toll-free number they could call to directly propose positions. Wallwork, who had last cut a political figure in a 1981 campaign for governor, said his campaign would be about "people taking back their government."{{cite news|title=Using telephone to shape campaign|last=Kiely|first=Eugene|newspaper=The Record|date=24 Feb 1993|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/497201962/|url-access=subscription|access-date=6 Sep 2022}}

In the final weeks of the campaign, Whitman ran advertisements presenting herself as a candidate for change but not mentioning her opponents or Governor Florio by name. Edwards attacked both Whitman in Florio in his advertisements, while Wallwork focused on painting Whitman as "liberal" and ran an ad stating that she had voted to raise taxes 17 times as Somerset Freeholder. In the final week of the campaign, Whitman began running negative advertisements as well.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/06/06/us/in-new-jersey-governor-s-primary-candidates-court-perot-s-backers.html|title=In New Jersey Governor's Primary, Candidates Court Perot's Backers|last=Gray|first=Jerry|date=5 June 1993|access-date=4 Oct 2021|page=1|newspaper=The New York Times}}

A large portion of the campaign was focused on winning over the 522,000 New Jerseyans who had voted for H. Ross Perot in the 1992 presidential campaign. Perot remained popular in the state; on the final weekend of the campaign, he hosted a get-out-the-vote rally which all three candidates attended.

The three major candidates participated in at least six debates and two mandatory televised debates.{{clarify|date=September 2023}}

By May 11, Whitman was the heavy favorite entering the first televised debate in Whippany; her campaign claimed no less than a double-digit lead over both opponents.{{cite news|title=Sharply and Loudly, G.O.P. Rivals Debate|last=Gray|first=Jerry|date=12 May 1993|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/05/12/nyregion/sharply-and-loudly-gop-rivals-debate.html|access-date=4 Oct 2021|page=B4|newspaper=The New York Times}} At the debate, all three candidates agreed in their opposition to the Florio tax increase but disagreed over how to repeal it. Edwards called for a new popularly elected office of Auditor to evaluate potential budget cuts, while Wallwork and Whitman argued that the powerful line-item veto allowed the governor to do so immediately. Whitman also attacked Edwards for a nine percent increase in crime during his tenure as attorney general, a preemptive rebuttal to Edwards's accusation that she was soft on crime.

The second televised debate on May 26 was focused on business issues and was less contentious; the candidates mostly agreed on automobile insurance reform, managed health care, unemployment, pollution legislation and sports betting.{{cite news|title=3 Florio Foes Hold 2d G.O.P. Debate|last=Gray|first=Jerry|date=27 May 1993|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/05/27/nyregion/3-florio-foes-hold-2d-gop-debate.html|access-date=4 Oct 2021|page=B7|newspaper=The New York Times}} At one point, during an exchange on unemployment, Edwards accused Whitman of not understanding the plight of the unemployed, saying "At least I have had a job in my life." Whitman demanded an apology for this and an earlier comment in which Edwards, during a two-person debate with Wallwork, said he "resented" running against a woman. Edwards declined to apologize and later accused Whitman of "setting him up." Another disagreement came over private school vouchers; Whitman supported them while Edwards was opposed and Wallwork deferred to a public referendum.

Two non-televised debates were hosted by Perot supporters under the banner of "United We Stand." All three candidates attended the first but only Edwards and Wallwork attended the second.

{{Endorsements box|title=List of W. Cary Edwards endorsements|list=

}}

{{Endorsements box|title=List of James Wallwork endorsements|list=

}}

{{Endorsements box|title=List of Christine Todd Whitman endorsements|list=

Individuals

• Howard Stern, radio host{{Citation |title=Howard Gets a Highway Rest Stop Named After Him (1995) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFCeXH2JTuM |language=en |access-date=2022-07-02}}}}

{{Endorsements box|title=Did not endorse|list=

Governors

• Thomas Kean, former governor of New Jersey{{cite news|title=3 Candidates Striving to Leave No Republican Unturned|last=Sullivan|first=Joseph S.|date=5 June 1993|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/06/04/nyregion/3-candidates-striving-to-leave-no-republican-unturned.html|access-date=4 Oct 2021|page=B5|newspaper=The New York Times}}

}}

[[File:1993 New Jersey gubernatorial Republican primary results map by county.svg|thumb|280px|Republican primary results by county

{{collapsible list

| title = {{legend|#e27f7f|Todd Whitman}}|{{legend|#ffc8cd|30–40%}}|{{legend|#ffb2b2|40–50%}}|{{legend|#e27f7f|50–60%}}}}

{{collapsible list

| title = {{legend|#ff9a50|Edwards}}|{{legend|#FFCCA9|30–40%}}|{{legend|#FFB580|40–50%}}}}

{{collapsible list

| title = {{legend|#5bc75b|Wallwork}}|{{legend|#aae5aa|30–40%}}}}

]]

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Republican Party primary results

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Christine Todd Whitman

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 159,765

| percentage = 39.96%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = W. Cary Edwards

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 131,578

| percentage = 32.91%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = James Wallwork

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 96,034

| percentage = 24.02%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Charles P. Hoffman (withdrawn)

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 6,695

| percentage = 1.67%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = J. Patrick Gilligan

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 5,753

| percentage = 1.44%

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 399,825

| percentage= 100.00

}}

{{Election box end}}

• Alene S. Ammond, public-relations executive and former state senator (Hands-On Government){{cite news |url=http://articles.philly.com/1993-10-29/news/25938240_1_independent-candidates-cliff-zukin-republican-christine-todd-whitman |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018141653/http://articles.philly.com/1993-10-29/news/25938240_1_independent-candidates-cliff-zukin-republican-christine-todd-whitman |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 18, 2015 |title=Now, For Someone Completely Different Hearing The Many Other Voices For Governor: Ammond To Ziruolo |author=Preston, David Lee |date=October 29, 1993 |newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer |access-date=June 12, 2015}}
• Marilyn Arons, public advocate for disabled children (Maximum Citizen Involvement)
• Tom Blomquist, head of the New Jersey Conservative Party (Conservative)
• Pat Daly, (Abortion is Murder)
• Pete DiLauro, retired New York City Police Department officer (Common Sense Government)
• Tim Feeney, dentist (Independent Choice)
• James Florio, incumbent governor of New Jersey (Democratic)
• Tom Fuscaldo, former factory maintenance worker (Zero Sales Tax)
• Jerry T. Grant, car salesman (You and I)
• Kenneth R. Kaplan, industrial/commercial real estate broker (Libertarian)
• John L. Kucek, certified public accountant (Populist)
• Andrea Lippi, poet (People Purpose Progress)
• Richary J. Lynch, Camden businessman (Independents 4 Change)
• Joseph Marion, trade association manager (independent)
• Mark J. Rahn, warehouse worker (Socialist Workers)
• Michael R. Scully, attorney (Fresh Start)
• Christine Todd Whitman, former Somerset County Freeholder and Board of Public Utilities president (Republican)
• Andrew J. Zemel, quality control consultant (Integrity-Common Sense)
• Michael "Mike" Ziruolo, trucking consultant (Better Affordable Government)

Florio had become unpopular due to his 1990 $2.8-billion tax increase.{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-11-01-mn-51988-story.html |title=Voters Seem Dissatisfied, Uncertain on Election Eve : Campaigns: Gubernatorial, mayoral posts at stake. No sweeping winds of change gauged in off-year races. |date=November 1, 1993 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |author=Brownstein, Ronald |access-date=June 13, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151212213459/http://articles.latimes.com/1993-11-01/news/mn-51988_1_gubernatorial-elections |archive-date=December 12, 2015 |url-status=live }} As a result of the tax increase, Republicans were swept into both houses of the Legislature in 1991. A 1990 bill that was signed into law banning assault weapons was used against Florio in advertisements by the National Rifle Association of America. A proposal by Whitman to cut income taxes by 30% over three years was met with skepticism from voters.{{cite news |url=http://articles.philly.com/1993-11-04/news/25946395_1_ken-dautrich-poll-christine-todd-whitman |title=N.J. Pollsters Regroup And Try To Figure Out What Went Wrong |newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=November 4, 1993 |author=Mondics, Chris |access-date=June 13, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304092639/http://articles.philly.com/1993-11-04/news/25946395_1_ken-dautrich-poll-christine-todd-whitman |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |url-status=dead |url-access=subscription }}

Polling for the election mostly showed that Florio would be reelected. Polls conducted within a few weeks of the election by The Star-Ledger, The New York Times, the Record of Hackensack, and Rutgers-Eagleton showed Florio besting Whitman by at least eight points. The final poll released before the election, however was conducted by the Asbury Park Press and showed a 38–38 tie with 22% undecided,{{cite news |url=https://apnews.com/af8c9546556c58b392243a07b2588356 |title=Whitman Rips Pollsters Who Failed To Predict Her Victory With AM-Elections RDP, BJT |author=Jackson, Herb |work=Associated Press |date=November 3, 1993 |access-date=June 13, 2015}} and undecided and independent voters tended towards Whitman at the time of the election.

{{Graph:Chart

| width=700

| height=400

| xAxisTitle=Date

| yAxisTitle=%Support

| xAxisAngle = -40

| legend=Candidate

| interpolate = bundle

| size = 77

| xType = date

| y1Title=Florio

| y2Title=Whitman

| y3Title=Other/Undecided

| type=line

|xGrid=

| x= 08/29/1991, 01/19/1993, 03/19/1993, 04/04/1993, 05/03/1993, 06/01/1993, 06/16/1993, 07/01/1993, 08/14/1993, 09/12/1993, 09/12/1993, 09/15/1993, 09/26/1993, 10/02/1993, 10/03/1993, 10/11/1993, 10/14/1993, 10/23/1993, 10/27/1993, 10/29/1993, 10/30/1993

| y1= 27, 30, 39, 36, 38, 37, 39, 37, 48, 43, 42, 47, 51, 47, 50, 49, 52, 45, 51, 48, 38

| y2= 52, 36, 30, 45, 34, 43, 38, 38, 43, 43, 36, 38, 30, 34, 37, 34, 40, 40, 41, 39, 38

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| colors = #3333FF, #E81B23, #DDDDDD

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{{hidden begin|titlestyle=background:#cff|title=Hypothetical polling|contentstyle=border:solid 1px silver; padding:8px; background:white;}}

with Edwards

with Wallwork

{{hidden end}}

This is also the most recent time that Cape May County voted Democratic in a gubernatorial election.

{{Election box begin | title=1993 New Jersey gubernatorial election{{cite web |url=http://www.njelections.org/election-results/1993-general-election-results-governor.pdf |title=Official List – Gubernatorial General Election Returns for Election Held November 2, 1993 |publisher=Secretary of State of New Jersey |year=1993 |access-date=June 12, 2015}}{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zJrtBQAAQBAJ&q=whitman+florio+daly+kaplan&pg=PA493 |page=493 |title=Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey |year=1900 |publisher=Lawyers Diary and Manual, LLC |isbn=9781577411871 |edition=2004 |access-date=June 12, 2015}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Christine Todd Whitman

|votes = 1,236,124

|percentage = 49.33%

|change = {{increase}}12.12

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = James Florio (incumbent)

|votes = 1,210,031

|percentage = 48.29%

|change = {{decrease}}12.94

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party=Independent politician |candidate=Pat Daly |votes=10,071 |percentage=0.40% |change=N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party=Libertarian Party (United States) |candidate=Kenneth R. Kaplan |votes=7,935 |percentage=0.32% |change={{decrease}} 0.26

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party=New Jersey Conservative Party |candidate=Tom Blomquist |votes=5,164 |percentage=0.21% |change=N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party=Independent politician |candidate=Joseph Marion |votes=4,311 |percentage=0.17% |change=N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party=Independent politician |candidate=Richary J. Lynch |votes=4,030 |percentage=0.16% |change=N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party=Independent politician |candidate=Alene S. Ammond |votes=3,330 |percentage=0.13% |change=N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party=Independent politician |candidate=Tim Feeney |votes=3,306 |percentage=0.13% |change=N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party=Independent politician |candidate=Michael R. Scully |votes=3,209 |percentage=0.13% |change=N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party=Independent politician |candidate=Pete DiLauro |votes=3,009 |percentage=0.12% |change=N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party=Independent politician |candidate=Marilyn Arons |votes=2,884 |percentage=0.12% |change=N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party=Populist Party (United States, 1984) |candidate=John L. Kucek |votes=2,822 |percentage=0.11% |change=N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party=Independent politician |candidate=Tom Fuscaldo |votes=2,314 |percentage=0.09% |change={{decrease}} 0.22

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party=Independent politician |candidate=Michael Ziruolo |votes=2,127 |percentage=0.08% |change={{decrease}} 0.37

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party=Independent politician |candidate=Andrew J. Zemel |votes=1,530 |percentage=0.06% |change=N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party=Independent politician |candidate=Andrea Lippi |votes=1,294 |percentage=0.05% |change=N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party=Socialist Workers Party (United States) |candidate=Mark J. Rahn |votes=1,242 |percentage=0.05% |change={{decrease}} 0.23

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party=Independent politician |candidate=Jerry T. Grant |votes=1,231 |percentage=0.05% |change=N/A

}}

{{Election box plurality|

|votes = 26,093

|percentage = 1.04%

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 2,505,964

|percentage =

|change =

}}

{{Election box gain with party link

|winner = Republican Party (United States)

|loser = Democratic Party (United States)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Bergen
• Burlington
• Mercer
• Monmouth
• Ocean
• Passaic
• Salem
• Somerset

{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

{{reflist|30em}}

• [http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?year=1993&off=5&elect=0&fips=34&f=0 U.S. Election Atlas]

{{1993 United States elections}}

1993

Gubernatorial

New Jersey

Category:November 1993 in the United States