New Jersey's 5th congressional district

New Jersey's 5th congressional district
Map
Interactive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2023
Representative
Distribution
  • 86.98% urban
  • 13.02% rural
Population (2023)767,729
Median household
income
$123,326[1]
Ethnicity
Cook PVID+4[2]

New Jersey's 5th congressional district is represented by Democrat Josh Gottheimer, who has served in Congress since 2017. The district stretches across the entire northern border of the state and contains most of Bergen County, as well as parts of Passaic County and Sussex County.

Historically, most of the areas in the district have generally been favorable for Republicans. This is especially true of the western portion, which contains some of the most Republican areas in the Northeast. However, Bergen County has trended Democratic in recent elections, though not as overwhelmingly as in the more urbanized southern portion of Bergen County, this latter portion being in the ninth congressional district. Partly due to a strong performance in Bergen County, Josh Gottheimer unseated 14-year Republican incumbent Scott Garrett in 2016. This made Garrett the only one of the state's 12 incumbents to lose reelection that year and marked the first time a Democrat won this seat since 1930.[3]

Since redistricting in the early 1990s, this congressional district has been L-shaped, comprising the rural northern and western parts of New Jersey along with parts of Passaic and Bergen County. After redistricting in late 2021, which was based on the 2020 census, the 5th lost all of its towns in Warren County. It also contains less of Sussex County and includes more of eastern Bergen County than was the case during the 2010s, making the district somewhat more Democratic.[4]

Counties and municipalities in the district

The district from 2003 to 2013

For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 United States census), the district contains all or portions of three counties and 65 municipalities.[5]

Bergen County (47)
Allendale, Alpine, Bergenfield, Bogota, Closter, Cresskill, Demarest, Dumont, Emerson, Englewood, Englewood Cliffs, Fair Lawn, Fort Lee, Glen Rock, Hackensack, Harrington Park, Haworth, Hillsdale, Ho-Ho-Kus, Leonia, Mahwah, Maywood (part; also 9th), Midland Park, Montvale, New Milford, Northvale, Norwood, Old Tappan, Oradell, Palisades Park, Paramus, Park Ridge, Ramsey, Ridgefield Park, Ridgewood, River Edge, River Vale, Rockleigh, Saddle River, Teaneck, Tenafly, Upper Saddle River, Waldwick, Washington Township, Westwood, Woodcliff Lake, Wyckoff
Passaic County (4)
Bloomingdale, Ringwood, Wanaque, West Milford
Sussex County (14)
Andover Township, Branchville, Frankford Township, Franklin, Hamburg, Hampton Township, Hardyston Township, Lafayette Township, Montague Township, Newton, Sandyston Township, Sussex, Vernon Township, Wantage Township

Recent results from statewide elections

Results under current lines (since 2023)
Year Office Result
2016 President Clinton 52.2% - 44.5%
2017 Governor Murphy 53.4% - 44.6%
2018 Senator Menendez 51.5% - 44.5%
2020 President Biden 55.6% - 43.2%
2020 Senator Booker 55.4% - 42.8%
2021 Governor Murphy 50.1% - 49.2%
Results under old lines

List of members representing the district

District organized from New Jersey's at-large congressional district.

Member
(District home)
Party Years Cong
ress
Electoral history Counties/Towns
District established March 4, 1799

Franklin Davenport
(Woodbury)
Federalist March 4, 1799 –
March 3, 1801
6th Elected in 1798.
Redistricted to the at-large district and lost re-election.
Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem
District dissolved March 3, 1801
District re-established March 4, 1843

William Wright
(Newark)
Whig March 4, 1843 –
March 3, 1847
28th
29th
Elected in 1842.
Re-elected in 1844.
Retired to run for governor.
Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Passaic

Dudley S. Gregory
(Jersey City)
Whig March 4, 1847 –
March 3, 1849
30th Elected in 1846.
Retired.

James G. King
(Hoboken)
Whig March 4, 1849 –
March 3, 1851
31st Elected in 1848.
Retired.

Rodman M. Price
(Hoboken)
Democratic March 4, 1851 –
March 3, 1853
32nd Elected in 1850.
Lost re-election.

Alexander C. M. Pennington
(Newark)
Whig March 4, 1853 –
March 3, 1855
33rd
34th
Elected in 1852.
Re-elected in 1854.
Retired.
1853–1863
Essex and Hudson
Opposition March 4, 1855 –
March 3, 1857

Jacob R. Wortendyke
(Jersey City)
Democratic March 4, 1857 –
March 3, 1859
35th Elected in 1856.
Lost re-election.
Essex, Hudson, and Union
(Union County formed from Essex (1857))

William Pennington
(Newark)
Republican March 4, 1859 –
March 3, 1861
36th Elected in 1858.
Lost re-election.

Nehemiah Perry
(Newark)
Democratic March 4, 1861 –
March 3, 1865
37th
38th
Elected in 1860.
Re-elected in 1862.
Retired.
1863–1873
Hudson County and Newark

Edwin R.V. Wright
(Hudson City)
Democratic March 4, 1865 –
March 3, 1867
39th Elected in 1864.
Retired.

George A. Halsey
(Newark)
Republican March 4, 1867 –
March 3, 1869
40th Elected in 1866.
Lost re-election.

Orestes Cleveland
(Jersey City)
Democratic March 4, 1869 –
March 3, 1871
41st Elected in 1868.
Lost re-election.

George A. Halsey
(Newark)
Republican March 4, 1871 –
March 3, 1873
42nd Elected in 1870.
Retired.

William W. Phelps
(Englewood)
Republican March 4, 1873 –
March 3, 1875
43rd Elected in 1872.
Lost re-election.
Bergen, Morris, and Passaic

Augustus W. Cutler
(Morristown)
Democratic March 4, 1875 –
March 3, 1879
44th
45th
Elected in 1874.
Re-elected in 1876.
Retired.

Charles H. Voorhis
(Hackensack)
Republican March 4, 1879 –
March 3, 1881
46th Elected in 1878.
Retired.

John Hill
(Boonton)
Republican March 4, 1881 –
March 3, 1883
47th Elected in 1880.
Retired.

William W. Phelps
(Englewood)
Republican March 4, 1883 –
March 3, 1889
48th
49th
50th
Elected in 1882.
Re-elected in 1884.
Re-elected in 1886.
Retired.

Charles D. Beckwith
(Paterson)
Republican March 4, 1889 –
March 3, 1891
51st Elected in 1888.
Lost re-election.

Cornelius A. Cadmus
(Paterson)
Democratic March 4, 1891 –
March 3, 1895
52nd
53rd
Elected in 1890.
Re-elected in 1892.
Retired.
Bergen and Passaic

James F. Stewart
(Paterson)
Republican March 4, 1895 –
March 3, 1903
54th
55th
56th
57th
Elected in 1894.
Re-elected in 1896.
Re-elected in 1898.
Re-elected in 1900.
Lost re-election.

Charles N. Fowler
(Elizabeth)
Republican March 4, 1903 –
March 3, 1911
58th
59th
60th
61st
Redistricted from the 8th district and re-elected in 1902.
Re-elected in 1904.
Re-elected in 1906.
Re-elected in 1908.
Retired to run for U.S. senator.
Morris, Union, and Warren

William E. Tuttle Jr.
(Westfield)
Democratic March 4, 1911 –
March 3, 1915
62nd
63rd
Elected in 1910.
Re-elected in 1912.
Lost re-election.
Morris and Union

John H. Capstick
(Montville)
Republican March 4, 1915 –
March 17, 1918
64th
65th
Elected in 1914.
Re-elected in 1916.
Died.
Vacant March 17, 1918 –
November 5, 1918

William F. Birch
(Dover)
Republican November 5, 1918 –
March 3, 1919
65th Elected to finish Capstick's term.
Retired.

Ernest R. Ackerman
(Plainfield)
Republican March 4, 1919 –
October 18, 1931
66th
67th
68th
69th
70th
71st
72nd
Elected in 1918.
Re-elected in 1920.
Re-elected in 1922.
Re-elected in 1924.
Re-elected in 1926.
Re-elected in 1928.
Re-elected in 1930.
Died.
Vacant October 18, 1931 –
December 1, 1931

Percy Hamilton Stewart
(Plainfield)
Democratic December 1, 1931 –
March 3, 1933
72nd Elected to finish Ackerman's term.
Retired to run for U.S. senator.

Charles A. Eaton
(Watchung)
Republican March 4, 1933 –
January 3, 1953
73rd
74th
75th
76th
77th
78th
79th
80th
81st
82nd
Redistricted from the 4th district and re-elected in 1932.
Re-elected in 1934.
Re-elected in 1936.
Re-elected in 1938.
Re-elected in 1940.
Re-elected in 1942.
Re-elected in 1944.
Re-elected in 1946.
Re-elected in 1948.
Re-elected in 1950.
Retired.
Morris, Somerset, and part of Middlesex (north of Raritan River)

Peter Frelinghuysen Jr.
(Morristown)
Republican January 3, 1953 –
January 3, 1975
83rd
84th
85th
86th
87th
88th
89th
90th
91st
92nd
93rd
Elected in 1952.
Re-elected in 1954.
Re-elected in 1956.
Re-elected in 1958.
Re-elected in 1960.
Re-elected in 1962.
Re-elected in 1964.
Re-elected in 1966.
Re-elected in 1968.
Re-elected in 1970.
Re-elected in 1972.
Retired.
Morris and Somerset
(Northern Middlesex removed to the new 15th District (1962))
District no longer follows county lines

Millicent Fenwick
(Bernardsville)
Republican January 3, 1975 –
January 3, 1983
94th
95th
96th
97th
Elected in 1974.
Re-elected in 1976.
Re-elected in 1978.
Re-elected in 1980.
Redistricted to the 12th district and retired to run for U.S. Senator.
Somerset, parts of Morris, and parts of Mercer (Princeton, Princeton Borough and West Windsor)

Marge Roukema
(Ridgewood)
Republican January 3, 1983 –
January 3, 2003
98th
99th
100th
101st
102nd
103rd
104th
105th
106th
107th
Redistricted from 7th district and re-elected in 1982.
Re-elected in 1984.
Re-elected in 1986.
Re-elected in 1988.
Re-elected in 1990.
Re-elected in 1992.
Re-elected in 1994.
Re-elected in 1996.
Re-elected in 1998.
Re-elected in 2000.
Retired.
Parts of Bergen, Hunterdon, Mercer (Hopewell, Hopewell Borough, and Pennington), Morris, Passaic, Sussex, and Warren
Sussex (excluding Byram and Green) and northern parts of Bergen and Passaic
[data missing]

Scott Garrett
(Wantage)
Republican January 3, 2003 –
January 3, 2017
108th
109th
110th
111th
112th
113th
114th
Elected in 2002.
Re-elected in 2004.
Re-elected in 2006.
Re-elected in 2008.
Re-elected in 2010.
Re-elected in 2012.
Re-elected in 2014.
Lost re-election.
2003–2013:
NJ05congressdistrict
Warren, parts of Bergen, Passaic, and Sussex
2013–2023:

Parts of Bergen, Passaic, Sussex, and Warren

Josh Gottheimer
(Wyckoff)
Democratic January 3, 2017 –
present
115th
116th
117th
118th
Elected in 2016.
Re-elected in 2018.
Re-elected in 2020.
Re-elected in 2022.
Re-elected in 2024.
2023–present:

Parts of Bergen, Passaic, and Sussex

Recent election results

2012

New Jersey's 5th congressional district, 2012[6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Scott Garrett (incumbent) 167,501 55.0
Democratic Adam Gussen 130,100 42.8
Green Patricia Alessandrini 6,770 2.2
Total votes 304,371 100.0
Republican hold

2014

New Jersey's 5th congressional district, 2014[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Scott Garrett (incumbent) 104,678 55.4
Democratic Roy Cho 81,808 43.3
Independent Mark D Quick 2,435 1.3
Total votes 188,921 100.0
Republican hold

2016

New Jersey's 5th congressional district, 2016 [8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Josh Gottheimer 172,587 51.1
Republican Scott Garrett (incumbent) 157,690 46.7
Libertarian Claudio Belusic 7,424 2.2
Total votes 337,701 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

2018

New Jersey's 5th congressional district, 2018[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Josh Gottheimer (incumbent) 169,546 56.2
Republican John J. McCann 128,255 42.5
Libertarian James Tosone 2,115 0.7
Independent Wendy Goetz 1,907 0.6
Total votes 301,823 100.0
Democratic hold

2020

New Jersey's 5th congressional district, 2020[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Josh Gottheimer (incumbent) 225,175 53.2
Republican Frank Pallotta 193,333 45.6
Independent Louis Vellucci 5,128 1.2
Total votes 423,636 100.0
Democratic hold

2022

New Jersey's 5th congressional district, 2022[11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Josh Gottheimer (incumbent) 145,559 54.7
Republican Frank Pallotta 117,873 44.3
Libertarian Jeremy Marcus 1,193 0.5
Independent Trevor Ferrigno 700 0.3
Independent Louis Vellucci 618 0.2
Total votes 265,943 100.0
Democratic hold

References

  1. ^ "My Congressional District".
  2. ^ "2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List". July 12, 2022.
  3. ^ Neuman, William (November 9, 2016). "Josh Gottheimer Defeats Scott Garrett in New Jersey Congressional Race". The New York Times. Accessed November 19, 2016.
  4. ^ "New Jersey Congressional Districts: 2022-2031" (PDF). New Jersey Redistricting Commission. December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  5. ^ [1], New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2021. Accessed November 5, 2022.
  6. ^ "Election Information" (PDF). NJ Department of State. November 6, 2012. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  7. ^ "Election Information" (PDF). NJ Department of State. December 2, 2014. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
  8. ^ "Election Information" (PDF). NJ Department of State. November 8, 2016. Retrieved December 8, 2016.
  9. ^ Johnson, Cheryl L. (February 28, 2019). "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 6, 2018". Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
  10. ^ "Official General Election Results: U.S. House of Representatives" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Elections. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  11. ^ "2022 Official General Election Results: U.S. House of Representatives" (PDF). New Jersey Department of State - Division of Elections. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Home district of the speaker of the House
February 1, 1860 – March 4, 1861
Succeeded by

41°12′35″N 74°36′28″W / 41.2098177°N 74.6076614°W / 41.2098177; -74.6076614