U.S. House, New Jersey - 3rd District
South central -- Cherry Hill, Toms River
Race Forecast: No Clear Favorite
2008: Chris Myers (R) vs. John H. Adler (D)
2006: Rep.
Competitive demographics in the 3rd made this seat an attractive pickup opportunity for Democrats even before Republican Rep.
Race Information
- Incumbent: John Adler, D
- First Elected: 2008 (1st term)
- Last Elected: 1990 (39%)
- Incumbent Status: Running for re-election
- Race Forecast: No Clear Favorite
District Information
Politics in America District Profile
The 3rd crosses New Jersey’s south-central section and takes in its entire political spectrum, from the solidly Republican shores of Ocean County to the staunchly Democratic Cherry Hill area in Camden County.
The presence of Fort Dix (shared with the 4th District) and McGuire Air Force Base make national defense a salient issue in the 3rd. The 2005 BRAC round dictated that the two bases, along with the Lakehurst Naval station (in the 4th), be combined into a “mega-base” by 2011, and BRAC also directed that aircraft and additional jobs go to the new joint base.
Communities around Toms River are concerned that offshore waste disposal and other environmental issues may affect their beach tourist industry. Local officials, who mostly are Republicans, emphasize their “green” credentials. Burlington County, most of which is in the 3rd, is one of the largest cranberry-producing counties in the nation.
The district has a lot of wealthy elderly voters, many living in retirement communities along Route 70. Municipal and school budgets, as well as tax rates, are among the lowest in the state — due in part to the high voter turnout by these residents.
Residential and commercial growth dominates the short strip of land in Burlington County that abuts the Delaware River. While part of the county, such as Cinnaminson and Moorestown, is Republican-leaning, other sections support Democrats on the statewide level and can combine with the district’s small share of Camden County to make elections competitive. Heavily Republican Ocean County, however, gives the district its GOP lean. George W. Bush won the district by less than 3 percentage points in the 2004 presidential election.
Major Industry
Retail, health care, agriculture, tourism, defense
Military Bases
Fort Dix (Army), 8,870 military, 1,119 civilian (2007) (shared with the 4th); McGuire Air Force Base, 5,189 military, 1,636 civilian (2007)
Cities
Toms River (unincorporated), 86,327; Springdale (unincorporated), 14,409
Notable
NFL Films, home to the world’s largest sports film library, is based in Mt. Laurel.
- Demographics (2000 census)
- Population: 647,257
- Under 18: 24%
- Over 65: 17%
- Married: 59.8%
- Non-Hispanic White: 83%
- Black: 9%
- Hispanic: 4%
- Asian: 3%
- Foreign Born: 6.5%
- Language other than English: 10.3%
- Median Household Income: 55,282
- Owner Occupied Housing: 82%
- Income above $200k: 3
- Workforce/Education (2000 census)
- White Collar: 67.6%
- Blue Collar: 18.8%
- Services: 13.6%
- Bachelor's Degree: 27%
- Graduate Education: 9.3%
- Civilian Veterans: 76,950
| Year | Election | Candidate | Votes | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | general | John Adler (D) | 156,372 | 51.6% |
| Chris Myers (R) | 146,366 | 48.3% | ||
| 2006 | general | H. Saxton (R) | 122,559 | 58.4% |
| Rich Sexton (D) | 86,113 | 41% | ||
| Ken Feduniewicz (TPM) | 1,179 | 0.6% | ||
| 2004 | general | H. Saxton (R) | 195,938 | 63.4% |
| Herb Conaway (D) | 107,034 | 34.6% | ||
| Edward Forchion (LMP) | 4,914 | 1.6% | ||
| Frank Orland (LIBERT) | 976 | 0.3% | ||
| 2002 | general | H. Saxton (R) | 123,375 | 65% |
| Richard Strada (D) | 64,364 | 33.9% | ||
| Raymond Byrne (LIBERT) | 1,335 | 0.7% | ||
| Ken Feduniewicz (AF) | 665 | 0.4% | ||
| Year | Democrat | Republican | Independent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | John Kerry: 48% | George W. Bush: 51% | |
| 2000 | Al Gore: 55% | George W. Bush: 45% |
Campaign Finance Details for the 2008 Race
| Filers | Through | Total Receipts | Total Disbursements | Total From PACs | Total From Individuals | Ending Cash | Debts Owed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CONAWAY, HERB (D) | June 30, 2008 | $7,684.00 | |||||
| SAXTON, H. J (R) | September 30, 2008 | $356,856.00 | $1,068,977.00 | $142,976.00 | $504,952.00 | ||
| SEXTON, RICHARD J (D) | December 22, 2006 | ||||||
| MYERS, CHRISTOPHER (R) | November 24, 2008 | $1,272,372.00 | $1,265,651.00 | $41,750.00 | $1,009,244.00 | $6,719.00 | $154,500.00 |
| ADLER, JOHN H. (D) | November 24, 2008 | $2,867,673.00 | $2,836,969.00 | $143,600.00 | $1,645,939.00 | $30,701.00 | $18,000.00 |
| KELLY, JOHN (R) | September 30, 2008 | $424,641.00 | $421,861.00 | $403,391.00 | $2,779.00 | $15,000.00 | |
| MURPHY, JUSTIN MICHAEL (R) | September 30, 2008 | $12,422.00 | $12,423.00 | $1,661.00 | $2,929.00 | ||
