No fundraising money was spent by either campaign, as the state has trended towards the Democratic Party in recent years.

The Republican primary took place on February 5, 2008, with 52 national delegates who were allocated on a winner takes all basis.

[3] * Candidate dropped out of the race before the primary There were 16 news organizations who made state-by-state predictions of the election.

From 1948 to 1988, it voted Republican in all but two elections: John F. Kennedy in his narrow victory over Richard Nixon in 1960, and Lyndon Johnson's 44-state landslide of 1964.

The northeastern portion, including Newark, Jersey City, Elizabeth and Paterson, contains more than half the state's population and is heavily Democratic.

The southwestern portion, including Camden, Cherry Hill, and Atlantic City is also heavily Democratic.

These regions have a total of over 2,000,000 voters between them, making it extremely difficult for a Republican to carry the state.

For instance, in 2004 George W. Bush held John Kerry to only a 7-point margin of victory, but was completely shut out in the northeast and southwest.

Additionally, the state is split almost down the middle between the largest and fourth-largest markets in the country, New York City and Philadelphia.

Senator Frank Lautenberg was reelected over Republican Dick Zimmer by a 14.08% margin of victory.

Barack Obama carried 10 of New Jersey's 13 congressional districts, including two that elected Republicans.