New Jersey NJ-07 House2018
RACE AT A GLANCE
RACE TYPE
Incumbent running
Leonard Lance (R)
COOK PARTISAN VOTING INDEX
Last updated : Apr 3, 2018Key Dates
Filing Deadline: Apr 2, 2018
Primary Election: Jun 5, 2018
INCUMBENT
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INCUMBENT
Full Bio:
LANCE, Leonard, a Representative from New Jersey; born in Easton, Northampton
County, Pa., June 25, 1952; graduated from North Hunterdon Regional High
School, Annandale, N.J., 1970; B.A., Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pa., 1974;
J.D., Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn., 1977; M.P.A., Princeton
University, Princeton, N.J., 1982; judicial clerk; lawyer, private practice;
member of the New Jersey state general assembly, 1991-2002; member of the New
Jersey state senate, 2002-2009, minority leader, 2004-2008; unsuccessful
candidate for election to the United States House of Representatives in 1996;
elected as a Republican to the One Hundred Eleventh and to the four succeeding
Congresses (January 3, 2009-present).
Source: Bioguide
CANDIDATES
Democrats
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Independents / Other Parties
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DISTRICT DATA
New Jersey - 07
North central: Westfield, Bridgewater, Hunterdon County
Population Breakdown
Source: American Community Survey 2015
Past Presidential Results from this District
2016 Election Results
Source: Dave's Redistricting/VEST
2012 Election Results
Source:
RACE ANALYSIS
The Bottom Line
Updated: Aug 24, 2018
Lance, a throwback to northeastern GOP moderates of yesteryear, has typically faced his biggest challenges in primaries. But after the 7th CD voted for Hillary Clinton 49 percent to 48 percent, his main 2018 concern will be the general. Lance hasn't shied away from town halls and voted against the health care bill and final GOP tax bill, but Democrats will still seek to tie him to the larger Republican agenda.
In June, Democrats nominated Tom Malinowski, a Polish-born former Rhodes Scholar who just moved into the district from Princeton. The former Washington director of Human Rights Watch served as Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights under President Obama. His story of "blowing the whistle" on Russian election interference in the final days of the Obama administration has raised $2.3 million to Lance's $1.5 million.
Republicans will call Malinowski a "Princeton elitist" who espouses far-left foreign policy positions. They're also encouraged that GOP gubernatorial nominee Kim Guadagno carried the 7th CD last November and that ethically tarnished Sen. Bob Menendez tops Democrats' ticket. But white-collar central New Jersey is now questioning its allegiance to the GOP in the era of Trump, and private polls suggest a Toss Up.
Race Analysis
Updated: Jun 10, 2026
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