If New Jersey loses a House seat after the 2010 census, it could mean a primary between two incumbent Congressmen — that hasn’t happened since Domenick Daniels and Cornelius Gallagher faced off in the 1972 Democratic primary in Hudson County – or for the first time in New Jersey history, a general election contest between two incumbents.
Which Congressman loses the game of reapportionment musical chairs? That very much depends on who wins the hotly contested 2008 House races – and on ’12 retirements. If John Adler and Linda Stender both win next year, it makes life a little tougher for the Democratic delegation in 2012: it will be hard to draw a map that puts two of the four Republicans in the same district, while at the same time providing the nine Democrats with safe seats.
