The New Jersey delegation
congressional officials …
New Jersey is one of the most diverse congressional delegations in the nation.
Of the 14 members in the 2022-2023 class, only two are female and 12 male, but six are minority representation through the end of the year. Five are lawyers, one has a dental degree, one holds a doctorate, and five have Master’s degrees.
Rutger's University has conferred four degrees - the highest received by any delegation member from within the state.
Several members of the New Jersey congressional delegation are military members, at least one of whom served as a Navy helicopter pilot.
The average tenure for the delegation currently is 6.28 terms, assuming everyone completes their service through the end of 2024. The longest-serving member has been in Congress for 22 terms.
Two members of the New Jersey delegation are freshmen in the House.
When you look at these profiles, we have given each a letter grade for their effort this Congress, based on various factors, which you will find in What Is Thomas Looking For? These letter grades are probably pretty familiar to you if you have ever been a school student (we hope the answer to that is we all have!)
If you see a low score for a particular member, it will probably be due to one or two key factors: ethics challenges or anti-democratic behavior.
Republicans have been hit hard on their lack of pushback on former President Trump and their support of election denying in the 2020 presidential campaign. The unanswered soaring deficit on their watch, the dismantling of allied relationships around the globe, and opposition to funding anti-authoritarian initiatives. The denial of climate change weighs heavily on us as well. We make no secret that transparency and Government in the Sunshine are vital to us, and we further argue that some have been awful stewards of this category. For example, one of the 14 current New Jersey delegation members voted to overturn the 2020 presidential election results the same evening as Trump supporters stormed the United States Capitol.
Democrats have been hit hard for their lack of progress on critical matters because they do control the United States Senate and have a razor-close margin in the U.S. House of Representatives. They have not been, in our opinion, innovative or necessarily insistent on finding rational, reasonable solutions to the problems plaguing the American public today. We want to see more and better.
Both have been dinged for being too partisan and not collaborative where evident. In our opinion, being too doctrinaire and an obstructionist to good government in the 21st century is unacceptable.
We are also indicating what we believe, today, might be the outcome of these Members’ 2024 elections. The overwhelming majority of House members were re-elected in 2022. One of the United States Senators resigned and his seat is open for election this season.
Our prospect ratings fall into three categories:
Safe Bet - which means what it means. These members of Congress are running strong and look to be overwhelming prospects for re-election at this time. We do, however, reserve the right to re-categorize their chances if necessary.
It’s A Race - means this race is too close to call and we can not reasonably predict who will win this seat.
Nudging - means the seat is leaning one way or another for this candidate. We have just a small number of current members of Congress in this category. Stay tuned!
So, would you like to meet these fascinating New Jerseyans? If so, just keep reading on!
what is thomas looking for?
There are two vulnerable races Thomas is watching in New Jersey for 2024:
NJS1 - Bob Menendez’s former seat temporarily held by George Helmy (Incumbent D)
NJ07 - Thomas Kean, Jr.’s seat (Incumbent R)
the senators
Credit: US Sen. Corey Booker
Credit: US Sen. George Helmy
United states senator Corey Booker (d)
New Jersey’s senior senator was elected in a special election in 2013 and re-elected in 2014 and 2020 when he also ran unsuccessfully for president. A graduate of Yale Law, with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Stanford University and a stint as an Oxford Scholar, Booker serves on the Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee; the Foreign Relations Committee; and the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee. The recently engaged Senator was also once the Mayor of Newark.
Thomas Take: Not Up For Re-Election in 2024
Thomas Rank: B
United States Senator George helmy (D)
The junior senator from New Jersey is George Helmy who was appointed to fill the seat following the resignation in August of disgraced Senator Robert Menendez. Helmy is married with two children and sits on the Foreign Affairs Committee; the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Development; and the Finance Committee. He earned his BA degree from Rutgers University and a master’s degree in finance and management from Harvard Extension School.
Thomas Rank: N/A
the representatives
Credit: US Rep. Donald Norcross
district 1 - u.s. rep. donald norcross (D)
Congressman Donald Norcross represents the southern New Jersey district which includes Camden and is close to Philadelphia. A five-term member, Norcross earned his Associates of Science degree from Camden Community College. He is a member of the Armed Services and Education and Workforce committees. He is married and the father of three.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Democrat
Thomas Rank: B
district 2 - U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew (r)
Congressman Jeff Van Drew represents the other southern New Jersey district that takes in the coastal areas of the state around Cape May. Van Drew who was first elected as a Democrat but switched parties during the Trump presidency, is a graduate of Rutgers University and earned his dentistry degree from Farleigh Dickinson University. The three-term Congressman serves on the Homeland Security Committee and the Education and Workforce Committee. He is married and the father of two.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Republican
Thomas Rank: D
Credit: US Rep. Jeff Van Drew
Credit: U.S. Rep. Andy Kim
District 3 - U.S. Rep. andy kim (d)
Andy Kim is a three-term member of Congress representing a district in Ocean County. He has announced that he will be challenging Bob Menendez for his Senate seat in 2024. Congressman Kim is a member of the Armed Services Committee, the Small Business Committee, the Foreign Affairs Committee, and the Special Committee on Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party. Kim earned his doctorate and graduate degrees from Oxford University and his undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago. He is married and the father of two.
Thomas Take: Not Running for Re-Election in 2024 (Running for the Senate - Open Seat) - Safe Bet Democrat
Thomas Rank: B
District 4 - U.S. Rep. chris smith (R)
Representing central New Jersey for 22 terms in Congress, Chris Smith is a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee. The married father of four graduated from Trenton State.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Republican
Thomas Rank: B
Credit: US Rep. Chris Smith
Credit: US Rep. Josh Gottheimer
district 5 - U.S. rep. Josh gottheimer (d)
Josh Gottheimer is a four-term member of the U.S. House who represents a district that comprises the northern region of New Jersey. A member of the Intelligence and Financial Services committees, Congressman Gottheimer is married, the father of two, and a graduate of Harvard law as well as having an undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Democrat
Thomas Rank: B
district 6 - U.S. rep. frank pallone (d)
The sixth district runs through Middlesex and Monmouth counties and is represented by 18-term Congressman Frank Pallone. Pallone has a law degree from Rutgers University and graduated with a Master’s degree from Tufts University with an undergraduate degree from Middlebury College. Married and the father of three, Pallone is the Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Democrat
Thomas Rank: B
Credit: US Rep. Frank Pallone
Credit: US Rep. Thomas Kean, Jr.
district 7 - U.S. rep. thomas kean, jr. (r)
The son of former Governor Thomas Kean, U.S. Representative Thomas Kean, Jr., is a freshman first elected in 2022 after losing several House races and one U.S. Senate race in 2006 to Bob Menendez. A member of the Foreign Affairs, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Science, Space and Technology committees, Kean graduated from Dartmouth University and has a Master’s degree from Tufts University. Married and the father of two, his district is in Morris County in northern New Jersey.
Thomas Take: Nudging Republican
Thomas Rank: B
district 8 - U.S. Rep. rob menendez (d)
The son of embattled U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, Rob Menendez is a freshman member of Congress who represents a majority Hispanic district in the Newark, Jersey City, Elizabeth area. His sister is Alicia Menendez from MSNBC. The Congressman serves on the Homeland Security Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. He graduated from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and has a law degree from Rutgers University. Menendez is married and the father of two.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Democrat
Thomas Rank: B
Credit: US Rep. Rob Menendez
district 9 - vacant
The Bergen County congressional district is vacant with the passing of long-time Representative Bill Pascarell.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Democrat
Thomas Rank: N/A
Website: N/A
district 10 - Open Seat
District 10 is an open seat following the passing of Congressman Donald Payne, Jr.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Democrat
Thomas Rank: N/A
Website: N/A
Credit: US Rep. Mikie Sherrill
district 11 - U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D)
Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill is a former Navy helicopter pilot who is serving in her third term in office. She was in the Navy from 1994 until 2003. Her committee assignments are Armed Services and the Select Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party Committee. She graduated from the United States Naval Academy and earned a law degree from Georgetown University. Sherrill is married and the mother of four.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Democrat
Thomas Rank: B
district 12 - U.S. Rep. bonnie watson coleman (d)
Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman represents the area around Princeton University. A graduate of Rutgers University, the Congresswoman serves on the Homeland Security and Appropriations committees. Married and the mother of three, she is serving in her fifth term.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Democrat
Thomas Rank: B
Credit: US Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman