2009 New Jersey gubernatorial election

The 2009 New Jersey gubernatorial election took place on November 3, 2009. Incumbent Democratic Governor Jon Corzine ran for a second term against Republican Chris Christie, independent Christopher Daggett, and nine others, in addition to several write-in candidates. Christie won the election, with about 48 percent of the vote, to 44 percent for Corzine and 5 percent for Daggett. He assumed office on January 19, 2010. This was the first election to fill the newly created office of lieutenant governor, with the candidates for governor choosing their running mates. Kim Guadagno, Christie's running mate, became New Jersey's first lieutenant governor. Christie won the largest margin for a non-incumbent Republican since 1969. He was the first Republican to carry Middlesex and Gloucester counties in a gubernatorial election since 1985. The 2009 election was the only time since 1961 when Bergen County did not support the winner of the state's gubernatorial election. Chris Daggett's 5 % of the vote was the best for a third party in a New Jersey gubernatorial election since 1913. This is the second (and most recent) time that a sitting governor of New Jersey lost a general election for the second term since 1993.