The closest governor's race in New Jersey history happened 45 years ago back in 1981. It took days to count and recount all the votes. I was a 20 year old student broadcaster at Seton Hall University's WSOU. My official title was Assistant News Director. My assignment was to be at Tom Kean's Election Night Headquarters at the Livingston Holiday Inn. It was so exciting. WSOU had an assigned land line phone. There I was with all the big TV and radio reporters from New York City. I was there to report on the mood and record the victory/concession speech when it happened. I had to work the next day. By 11 o'clock I expected to be on my way home. The race itself was very similar to this year's governor's race. Democrat Congressman Jim Florio was leading in the polls for months. In the closing weeks Republican Tom Kean was getting closer and closer. All night long as returns came in both were neck and neck. Kean and Florio would not declare victory or concede. I was calling into our live election coverage on WSOU every 30 minutes. When I called at 12:15 no one answered. I kept calling until 1AM. That's when I got word WSOU had signed off at midnight after deciding the governor's would not be over until the following morning! The next day Tom Kean and Jim Florio acknowledged that Kean was ahead by under 2,000 votes. After a few more days the election results were certified. Kean won by only 1,797 votes out of more than 2 Million Votes cast. Do you think this year's governor's race will be that close? I wouldn't rule it out.
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