1977 NJ Gubernatorial Election (Remaster)

Before Governor Phil Murphy was reelected in 2021, it had beem 44 years since New Jersey voters had given a Democrat a second Term in Drumthwacket, that democrat Being former Brendan Byrne who won reelection against Somerset State Senator Raymond "Ray" Bateman.

Elected in 1973 during the height of watergate, and amid ethics scandals plaguing the incumbent republican governor, former Essex county prosecuter Brendan Byrne won in a landslide, sweeping in Democratic supermajorities into the legislature

His immense popularity quickly declined however, with the intruduction, and passage of the first state income tax. Placing his aproovals according Rutgers/Eagleton in Early 1977 at 22%-71%.

This lead to a grueling primary which he only won by 7% and 30% of the vote against a fractured field. Contrasting with Bateman who won in a stronger than expected showing against former Speaker Thomas H. Kean Sr.

However the General election campaign went much differently for Byrne than most expected, campaining *ON* the state income tax Byrne challenged Bateman to find a solution that did not involve the income tax or cutting services New Jersey residents seemed essential.

Bateman could not, and when he did release a plan, it was lambasted by all as an unworkable solution; and when asked if he would commit to not reenstating the income tax in a hypothetical second term, Bateman refused.

Further, near the end of the campaign, an incident occured where Bateman critizised Byrne for nominating a lawyer who onced defended a company with ties to organized crime, and frequented a restaurant who's owner was connected to the mob, without disclosing these facts.

This stunt, according to the New York times, likely created a backlash in the Italian American Community.

Never the-less, by November, Byrne had turned arround his fortune to such an extent that President Carter, who had eschewed from appearing with Byrne (after an appearance in the '76 campaign where Byrne was booed for 10 minutes and was thought to cost the president New Jersey), had his staff and first lady campaign for him, in addition to doing so himself.

In the end, Brendan Byrne won, with an electoral coalition that can best be described as chaotic and abnormal, even and especially for the time.

In terms of Congressional Districts, Byrne won 13/15 to Bateman's 2/15, in terms of Legislative districts Byrne won 35/40 to Bateman's 5/40, and in terms of counties Byrne won 17/21 to Bateman's 4/21.

The State Lege elections returned Dems with large majorities to both chambers, with democrats losing some traditional GOP seats in return to the mean in the senate, and gaining some of the seats that they lost in the 1975 midterms in the assembly.

Individual candidates played a significant Roll on the state legs level with ticket splitting being incredibly prevalent across New Jersey.

1977 NJ State Senate Elections

1977 NJ State Assembly Elections

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