Candidates •
Henry B. Krajewski, pig farmer and candidate for president in 1952 (Veterans Bonus Now) •
Robert B. Meyner, State Senator for Warren County (Democratic) • Albert Ronis (Socialist Labor) •
Clendenin Ryan, publisher of the
New American Mercury (Independent Voters) •
Paul L. Troast, businessman and chair of the
New Jersey Turnpike Authority (Republican)
Campaign The race received national attention as a test of the popularity of the new
Dwight Eisenhower presidency, as the only other state election holding elections, Virginia, was safely Democratic. Late in the campaign, Meyner suffered a setback when Democratic former mayor of Jersey
Frank Hague Eggers endorsed Troast over his opposition to current mayor
John V. Kenny, Meyner's chief backer. A week after that, Democratic runner-up and prior nominee
Elmer H. Wene refused to support Meyner's candidacy, referring to the result in Jersey City, and therefore the primary overall, as "questionable." Though he did not endorse Troast, Wene said that "the election of a Democratic candidate would in truth be the election of Mayor Kenny and would destroy the integrity of our state government." State party chairman
Charles R. Howell referred to Wene's statement as "pathetic" and accused Republicans of an alliance with former Democratic boss
Frank Hague.
Results By county Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican •
Atlantic •
Cumberland •
Gloucester Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic •
Essex •
Somerset •
Union ==References==