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Republicans, Democrats hope to break with 40 years of election history

New Jersey

State Sens. Nia Gill and Joe Kyrillos are both running for national office this year.

By Erin O'Neill May 9, 2012

By Bill Wichert May 9, 2012

Two state senators vying for national office have nearly 40 years of election history working against them.

Joe Kyrillos and Nia Gill both want a spot on Capitol Hill. Kyrillos, a Republican, is aiming for the U.S. Senate, while Gill, a Democrat, is working toward a seat in the House of Representatives.

But New Jersey hasn’t sent a Republican to the Senate or a Democratic woman to the House in nearly four decades.

Gov. Chris Christie, a Kyrillos supporter, and Gill provided those history lessons in two recent appearances. PolitiFact New Jersey put their statements to the Truth-O-Meter.

Read the Christie item here and the Gill item here.

To comment on this story, go to NJ.com.

See Truth-O-Meter items

John Burzichelli

stated on September 19, 2012 in an interview with NJToday:

Says "the governor is going around the state talking about [how] we should fund an income tax cut" that benefits higher income earners and not lower income earners

false

false

stated on September 17, 2012 in an interview with Townsquare Media New Jersey:

Says "if we do nothing and continue to let Obamacare siphon off that $700 billion dollars off the top of it, Medicare goes away in less than 10 years -- certain accounts of it -- and it just falls apart at the seams."

false

false

stated on September 4, 2012 in a blog:

"Sen. Bob Menendez voted to enact a new tax on the sale of homes of 3.8%."

pants-fire

pants-fire

Raymond Bateman

stated on November 23, 2012 in a column:

Says that in the 1985 election former Gov. Tom Kean had "the largest winning margin for a gubernatorial candidate in Jersey history."

true

true

Frank Lautenberg

stated on November 13, 2012 in a speech on the Senate floor:

Says because of Hurricane Sandy in Atlantic City "much of that boardwalk no longer exists -- just the pillars where the boardwalk used to be."

barely-true

barely-true

stated on November 13, 2012 in a website:

"In 2011, our state-run lottery funded New Jersey classrooms by over $930 million."

mostly-true

mostly-true

stated on October 30, 2012 in an interview on NBC Nightly News:

Says New Jersey is "50th in return of our federal tax dollars."

mostly-true

mostly-true

stated on October 17, 2012 in an interview with reporters at William Paterson University:

"New Jersey is the only state in the union that spent less on higher education than it did at the beginning of the decade."

false

false

stated on October 16, 2012 in a town hall meeting in West Milford:

"Now remember, property taxes went up 70 percent in the 10 years before I became governor."

mostly-true

mostly-true

stated on October 10, 2012 in a campaign event:

Says Rep. Jon Runyan "voted to redefine rape."

false

false

Joseph Kyrillos

stated on October 10, 2012 in a debate on New Jersey 101.5-FM:

Says "when I voted against [an increase in the minimum wage], it was in the 80s."

false

false

Joseph Kyrillos

stated on October 4, 2012 in a debate on NJTV:

Says under U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez’s watch the nation’s unemployment rate and debt doubled and the federal budget deficit quadrupled.

half-true

half-true

Joseph Kyrillos

stated on October 4, 2012 in a debate on NJTV:

Says the United States has the "highest corporate tax rate in the world."

mostly-true

mostly-true

stated on September 25, 2012 in a campaign event in New Hampshire:

"The income tax that started at 2 percent under Governor Byrne is now 9 percent."

half-true

half-true

stated on September 20, 2012 in an interview with NJToday:

"We have more people working in the state of New Jersey today than we've ever had in our history."

false

false

John Burzichelli

stated on September 19, 2012 in an interview with NJToday:

Says "the governor is going around the state talking about [how] we should fund an income tax cut" that benefits higher income earners and not lower income earners

false

false

stated on September 17, 2012 in an interview with Townsquare Media New Jersey:

Says "if we do nothing and continue to let Obamacare siphon off that $700 billion dollars off the top of it, Medicare goes away in less than 10 years -- certain accounts of it -- and it just falls apart at the seams."

false

false

stated on September 4, 2012 in a blog:

"Sen. Bob Menendez voted to enact a new tax on the sale of homes of 3.8%."

pants-fire

pants-fire

Raymond Bateman

stated on November 23, 2012 in a column:

Says that in the 1985 election former Gov. Tom Kean had "the largest winning margin for a gubernatorial candidate in Jersey history."

true

true

Frank Lautenberg

stated on November 13, 2012 in a speech on the Senate floor:

Says because of Hurricane Sandy in Atlantic City "much of that boardwalk no longer exists -- just the pillars where the boardwalk used to be."

barely-true

barely-true

stated on November 13, 2012 in a website:

"In 2011, our state-run lottery funded New Jersey classrooms by over $930 million."

mostly-true

mostly-true

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"Brad Schimel said that he wanted to be part of Donald Trump's support network."

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