2012 United States Senate election in New Jersey
The 2012 United States Senate election in New Jersey took place on November 6, 2012, concurrently with the 2012 U.S. presidential election as well as other elections to the United States Senate and House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Bob Menendez won re-election to a second full term. He was the first Democratic Senate candidate to carry Somerset County since Bill Bradley in 1984.
This was the first time since 1976 that a candidate for this seat received over 55% of the vote.
Background
Bob Menendez became the first Hispanic-American U.S. senator to represent New Jersey in January 2006 when former U.S. senator Jon Corzine appointed him to the seat after having resigned to become governor of New Jersey, following his election in November 2005. In November 2006, after a tough and painful election, Menendez defeated Republican state senator Thomas Kean, Jr. with 53.3% of the vote.Democratic primary
Candidates
- Bob Menendez, incumbent U.S. Senator
Polling
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Declared
- David Brown, inventor
- Joe Kyrillos, State Senator
- Bader Qarmout, businessman and adjunct professor at the County College of Morris
- Joseph Rudy Rullo, businessman
Withdrew
- Ian Linker, attorney
- Anna Little, former mayor of Highlands and candidate for NJ-06 in 2010
Declined
- Diane Allen, state senator, candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2002 and former news broadcaster
- Chris Christie, Governor of New Jersey and former U.S. Attorney
- John Crowley, biotechnology executive
- Michael Doherty, state senator
- Tim Smith, financial services firm executive and member of the Roxbury Township Council
- Jay Webber, State Assemblyman and former New Jersey Republican State Committee chairman
Polling
Results
General election
Candidates
- Bob Menendez, incumbent U.S. Senator
- Joe Kyrillos, state senator
- Inder "Andy" Soni
- Ken Wolski, medical marijuana activist and former nurse
- Gwen Diakos, civilian defense contractor
- Kenneth R. Kaplan, commercial real estate broker
- Eugene Martin LaVergne
- Daryl Mikell Brooks, activist
- Robert "Turk" Turkavage, former FBI agent
- Greg Pason, National Secretary of the Socialist Party USA and perennial candidate
- J. David Dranikoff, businessman
Debates
;External links
- , October 4, 2012 - C-SPAN
- , October 13, 2012 - C-SPAN
Fundraising
Top contributors
| Bob Menendez | Contribution | Joseph Kyrillos | Contribution |
| Lowenstein Sandler | $116,160 | McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter, LLP | $133,098 |
| Greenberg Traurig | $78,250 | Allied Management Inc | $22,000 |
| NORPAC | $70,550 | Connell Foley | $18,250 |
| Prudential Financial | $66,800 | Maser Consulting | $17,250 |
| DeCotiis, FitzPatrick & Cole | $48,150 | B&L Tire | $15,000 |
| Kindred Healthcare | $48,000 | Berkeley College | $15,000 |
| Verizon Communications | $47,050 | CJ Hesse | $15,000 |
| Medco Health Solutions | $41,249 | GlobalTel | $15,000 |
| DLA Piper | $41,000 | Langer Transport Corp | $15,000 |
| Dade Medical College | $40,000 | Fgi Finance | $14,000 |
Top industries
| Bob Menendez | Contribution | Joe Kyrillos | Contribution |
| Lawyers/Law Firms | $1,633,843 | Lawyers/Law Firms | $312,845 |
| Real Estate | $1,096,684 | Retired | $103,900 |
| Lobbyists | $578,182 | Financial Institutions | $98,200 |
| Financial Institutions | $532,651 | Real Estate | $98,150 |
| Health Professionals | $524,810 | Health Professionals | $62,100 |
| Retired | $411,525 | Business Services | $60,250 |
| Construction Services | $388,550 | Construction Services | $54,300 |
| Pharmaceuticals/Health Products | $353,250 | Universities | $51,250 |
| Insurance | $338,550 | General Contractors | $39,500 |
| Leadership PACs | $328,244 | Misc Business | $38,550 |
Predictions
Polling
Hypothetical polling | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Results |