This is another in a series of pictures showing what this year's blue wave looks like. So far, I've done Pennsylvania, New York, and New England.
Here's how things stood before the 2006 election.
Here's how thing came out on Election Night. Unfortunately, there's still as much red as before.
Next is a map showing the margin of victory.
Finally, here's a map showing the margin-of-victory change from 2004 to 2006. Notice how every district is some shade of blue.
The "blue wave" wasn't quite as great in New Jersey as in some other northeastern states. Stender did fairly well against perennial target Ferguson in the 7th, a very expensive district to run in.
Maybe New Jersey can have its blue wave in two years. The 7th is still an obvious target, and I propose that we should also target the 5th. Garrett didn't seem to face much opposition this year, but he only won 55-44. Most of the population of this district is in suburban Passaic and Bergen Counties, the sort of place where Democrats have had good performances recently. In a district with changing partisan leanings, a serious challenger can knock off a guy who hasn't had to campaign much in a while, and Garrett is my nominee for that to happen to in 2008. (See: Crane in IL, Tom Foley in WA, and Weldon in PA.)
Question: New Jersey has a bipartisan redistricting process, so what the heck happened in 2001? This map, with Trenton split and with two marginally Republican districts stretching from Pennsylvania to the ocean, should have been unacceptable to every Democrat on the redistricting committee.
Here are thumbnails of the districts. My favorite ordinary maps of congressional districts are from the Census Bureau and the Interior Department.
NJ-01 (Philadelphia suburbs), Andrews (D) unopposed:
NJ-02 (Atlantic City), LoBiondo (R) defeats Thomas-Hughes (D) 62-35:
NJ-03 (Philadelphia suburbs), Saxton (R) defeats Sexton (D) 58-41:
NJ-04 (Trenton), Smith (R) defeats Gay (D) 66-33:
NJ-05 (New York suburbs), Garrett (R) defeats Aronsohn (D) 55-44:
NJ-06 (New York suburbs), Pallone (D) defeats Bellew (R) 69-30:
NJ-07 (New York suburbs), Ferguson (R) defeats Stender (D) 49-48:
NJ-08 (New York suburbs), Pascrell (D) defeats Sandoval (R) 71-28:
NJ-09 (New York suburbs), Rothman (D) defeats Micco (R) 71-28:
NJ-10 (Newark and New York suburbs), Payne (D) unopposed:
NJ-11 (New York suburbs), Frelinghuysen (R) defeats Wyka (D) 62-37:
NJ-12 (Trenton, New York suburbs), Holt (D) defeats Sinagra (R) 66-34:
NJ-13 (New York suburbs), Sires (D) defeats Guarini (R) 78-19 for vacant seat previously held by Menendez (D):
For reference, here's the state with select cities labeled.