1982 United States Senate election in New Jersey
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Lautenberg: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80%
Fenwick: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in New Jersey |
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The 1982 United States Senate election in New Jersey was held on November 2, 1982.
The seat was effectively vacated by the resignation of Harrison Williams amid scandal in March; his appointed successor, Nicholas F. Brady, did not run.
Democratic businessman Frank Lautenberg won the seat in a major upset, defeating a large field of eight Democratic candidates and Republican Millicent Fenwick, a popular, well-known U.S. Representative. Lautenberg's campaign was largely self-funded and overcame early polling leads for Fenwick by outspending her 2-to-1 and emphasizing the persistently poor economic conditions under Republican President Ronald Reagan and the conservative Congress.