The race for New Jersey's Senate seat in 2000 was run between Democrat candidate Jon Corzine and Republican nominee Bob Franks. This was an open seat race; hence there was no incumbent
             Bob Franks was born in Hackensack New Jersey and grew up in Summit New Jersey. He graduated from Summit High School in 1969 and DePauw University in 1973. In 1976 he received his law degree from Southern Methodist University.
             In 1981, Franks was a key advisor in Tom Kean's gubernatorial election campaign. He served two separate terms as chairman of the state Republican Party. He served in the New Jersey State Assembly from 1979 to 1992 and New Jersey's 7th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives from 1994 to 2000. He defeated New Jersey State Senator William Gormley in the primary.
             Jon Corzine was born in Wiley Station Illinois on January 1st, 1947. He attended the University of Illinois on financial aid (to the tune of $125 per semester), and graduated in 1969. He enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve and attended the University of Chicago's Business School.
             Corzine's only political experience before the general election was in the primary. He faced former New Jersey Governor and taxation guru, Jim Florio. In a hotly contested race, in which Florio compared Corzine's tactics to those of the KGB, Corzine spent 33 million dollars (or $140 per vote) of his own money.
             The district in this election is all of New Jersey. New Jersey is a diverse land of mystery. In the northeastern part of the state the mystery is the lovely "New Jersey scent" emanating from oil refineries and urban areas in general. This includes Newark, Elizabeth, Jersey City and the Meadowlands (Jimmy Hoffa's personal cemetery). The northwest includes the Appalachian Mountains and a handful of ski resorts. The southwest quadrant varies between a few cities (Camden, Trenton and Mount Laurel), military installations (Fort Dix) and f...