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The 1972 US House of Representatives elections in NJ's 1st congressional district was a contest between 3 term Republican incumbent John Hunt, and State assemblyman Jim Florio that resulted in the closest election of Hunt's congressional career.
Despite being a Democratic disteict on the presidential level, won by Hubert Humphrey by 6% over Richard Nixon, this district only sent Republicans to congress since 1883.
Hunt would first win in 1966 in Lyndon Johnson's first midterm and would become a strong conservative, fierce hawk on the Armed Servicrs comittee and Nixon admirerer.
This conservatism, coupled with Jim Florio's strong challenge ended up holding him to a 5.5% margin in 1972, underperforming NIxon's 20% win in the district.
After his near loss, Hunt would not change his stances, especially his admiration for Nixon, which when combined with Watergate resulted in Hunt losing reelection in the 1974 midterms in a rematch to Florio.
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