1951 New Jersey Senate election
November 6, 1951
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11 out of 21 seats in the New Jersey Senate 11 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||
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The 1951 New Jersey Senate election was held on November 6, 1951, to determine which party would control the New Jersey Senate for the following two years in the 176th New Jersey Legislature. Eleven out of 21 seats in the New Jersey Senate were up for election, and the primary was held in April 1951. Prior to the election, 14 seats were held by Republicans, and 7 seats were held by Democrats. The general election saw Republicans expand their majority in the State Senate by 2 seats.[1] Republicans flipped each seat in Burlington and Warren counties.
Defeated incumbents
In primary
Republicans
- Monmouth County: J. Stanley Herbert lost renomination to Richard R. Stout.
- Somerset County: Freas L. Hess lost renomination to Malcolm Forbes.[2]
In general
Democrats
- Burlington County: James M. Davis Jr. lost re-election to Albert McCay.
- Warren County: Robert B. Meyner lost re-election to Wayne Dumont.
Summary of results by county
| County | Incumbent | Party | Elected Senator | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic | Frank S. Farley | Rep | No election | |||
| Bergen | David Van Alstyne | Rep | No election | |||
| Burlington | James M. Davis Jr. | Dem | Albert McCay | Rep | ||
| Camden | Bruce A. Wallace | Rep | Bruce A. Wallace | Rep | ||
| Cape May | Anthony Cafiero | Rep | Anthony Cafiero | Rep | ||
| Cumberland | W. Howard Sharp | Dem | No election | |||
| Essex | Alfred C. Clapp | Rep | Alfred C. Clapp | Rep | ||
| Gloucester | Harold W. Hannold | Rep | Harold W. Hannold | Rep | ||
| Hudson | James F. Murray Jr. | Dem | No election | |||
| Hunterdon | Wesley Lance | Rep | No election | |||
| Mercer | Sido Ridolfi | Dem | No election | |||
| Middlesex | Bernard W. Vogel | Dem | Bernard W. Vogel | Dem | ||
| Monmouth | J. Stanley Herbert | Rep | Richard R. Stout | Rep | ||
| Morris | Thomas J. Hillery | Rep | No election | |||
| Ocean | W. Steelman Mathis | Rep | No election | |||
| Passaic | Frank W. Shershin | Rep | No election | |||
| Salem | John M. Summerill Jr. | Rep | John M. Summerill Jr. | Rep | ||
| Somerset | Freas Hess | Rep | Malcolm Forbes | Rep | ||
| Sussex | George B. Harper | Rep | No election | |||
| Union | Kenneth Hand | Rep | Kenneth Hand | Rep | ||
| Warren | Robert B. Meyner | Dem | Wayne Dumont | Rep | ||
Closest races
Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:
- Warren County, 0.20% (gain)
- Camden County, 7.38%
- Salem County, 7.70%
Other gains
Seats that flipped party control where the margin of victory was over 10%:
- Burlington, 13.70% (gain)
Burlington County
Democratic primary
Candidates
- James M. Davis Jr., incumbent state senator
Republican primary
Candidates
- Louis J. Kaser[3]
- Albert McCay, former assemblyman (1944–48)
- William F. Parker[3]
- Clifford Ross Powell, former state senator (1928–40) and acting governor (1935)[3]
General election
Candidates
- James M. Davis Jr., incumbent state senator (Democratic)
- Albert McCay, former assemblyman (1944–48) (Republican)
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Albert McCay | 20,051 | 56.85% | |
| Democratic | James M. Davis Jr. (incumbent) | 15,222 | 43.15% | |
| Total votes | 35,273 | 100.0% | ||
| Republican gain from Democratic | ||||
Camden County
General election
Candidates
- George F. Neutze (Democratic)
- Bruce A. Wallace, incumbent senator (Republican)
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Bruce A. Wallace (incumbent) | 47,420 | 53.69% | |
| Democratic | George F. Neutze | 40,903 | 46.31% | |
| Total votes | 88,323 | 100.0% | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Cape May County
General election
Candidates
- Anthony Cafiero, incumbent senator (Republican)
- Joseph F. Hughes (Democratic)
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Anthony Cafiero (incumbent) | 12,279 | 79.86% | |
| Democratic | Joseph F. Hughes | 3,097 | 20.14% | |
| Total votes | 15,376 | 100.0% | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Essex County
General election
Candidates
- Alfred C. Clapp, incumbent senator (Republican)
- Ruth Lerner (Progressive)
- John A. Pindar (Democratic)
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Alfred C. Clapp (incumbent) | 114,435 | 61.60% | |
| Democratic | John A. Pindar | 67,678 | 36.44% | |
| Progressive | Ruth Lerner | 3,637 | 1.96% | |
| Total votes | 185,750 | 100.0% | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Gloucester County
General election
Candidates
- Harold W. Hannold, incumbent senator (Republican)
- Joseph Mennite (Democratic)
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Harold W. Hannold (incumbent) | 20,046 | 71.60% | |
| Democratic | Joseph Mennite | 7,950 | 28.40% | |
| Total votes | 27,996 | 100.0% | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Middlesex County
Democratic primary
Candidates
General election
Candidates
- Walter D. Fetterly (Republican)
- Bernard Vogel, incumbent senator (Democratic)
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Bernard W. Vogel (incumbent) | 49,287 | 60.03% | |
| Republican | Walter D. Fetterly | 32,815 | 39.97% | |
| Total votes | 82,102 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Monmouth County
Republican primary
- J. Stanley Herbert, incumbent senator[3]
- Richard R. Stout, attorney and veteran[3]
General election
Candidates
- Solomon Lautman (Democratic)
- Richard R. Stout, attorney and veteran (Republican)
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Richard R. Stout | 42,261 | 68.74% | |
| Democratic | Solomon Lautman | 19,214 | 31.26% | |
| Total votes | 61,475 | 100.0% | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Salem County
General election
Candidates
- James S. Sparks (Democratic)
- John M. Summerill Jr. (Republican)
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | John M. Summerill Jr. (incumbent) | 8,941 | 53.85% | |
| Democratic | James S. Sparks | 7,663 | 46.15% | |
| Total votes | 16,604 | 100.0% | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Somerset County
Republican primary
Candidates
- Malcolm Forbes, publishing magnate[3]
- Freas L. Hess, incumbent senator[3]
General election
Candidates
- Malcolm Forbes, publishing magnate (Republican)
- Anthony P. Kearns (Democratic)
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Malcolm Forbes | 20,474 | 71.59% | |
| Democratic | Anthony P. Kearns | 8,123 | 28.41% | |
| Total votes | 28,597 | 100.0% | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Union County
General election
Candidates
- Kenneth Hand, incumbent senator (Republican)
- J. Jerome Kaplon (Democratic)
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Kenneth Hand (incumbent) | 60,249 | 63.43% | |
| Democratic | J. Jerome Kaplon | 34,728 | 36.57% | |
| Total votes | 94,977 | 100.0% | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Warren County
General election
Candidates
- Wayne Dumont, Phillipsburg attorney (Republican)
- Robert B. Meyner, incumbent senator (Democratic)
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Wayne Dumont | 10,929 | 50.10% | |
| Democratic | Robert B. Meyner (incumbent) | 10,883 | 49.90% | |
| Total votes | 21,812 | 100.0% | ||
| Republican gain from Democratic | ||||
See also
References
- ^ "Results of the general election" (PDF). nj.gov. Retrieved 2025-11-29.
- ^ "Freas Leslie Hess (1896-1959)". politicalstrangenames.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2025-11-29.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "PRIMARY CONTESTS IN JERSEY HEATED; Major Centers of Interest in Tuesday Voting Are Hudson and Bergen Counties Kenny Control at Stake Gambling Issue in Bergen Somerset Contest Hard-Fought LIST OF CANDIDATES". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-12-05.