He sought the Democratic nomination for Governor of New Jersey in 1985, losing in the primary to Essex County executive Peter Shapiro, who in turn lost to Thomas Kean in the general election.
[1] He was sworn in as Attorney General on January 16, 1990, the day of Governor James Florio's inauguration, resigning in 1993 to join the New York City firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.
[2] On March 5, 1994, Del Tufo married Katherine Nouri Hughes, vice president of communications for the Milken Family Foundation.
[3] She was previously married to Emmet John Hughes, a journalist and aide to President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
In February 2006, Governor Jon Corzine appointed Del Tufo Chairman the Board of Trustees of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.