▁chose ▁ 1 7 ▁elect ors ▁to ▁the ▁Elect oral ▁College , ▁which ▁selected ▁the ▁president ▁and ▁vice ▁president . ▁ ▁New ▁Jersey ▁was ▁won ▁by ▁the ▁Republican ▁nom ine es , ▁inc umb ent ▁President ▁Richard ▁N ixon ▁of ▁California ▁and ▁his ▁running ▁mate ▁inc umb ent ▁Vice ▁President ▁S pi ro ▁Ag new ▁of ▁Maryland . ▁N ixon ▁and ▁Ag new ▁defeated ▁the ▁Democratic ▁nom ine es , ▁Senator ▁George ▁McG overn ▁of ▁South ▁Dak ota ▁and ▁his ▁running ▁mate ▁United ▁States ▁Amb assador ▁S argent ▁Sh river ▁of ▁Maryland . ▁ ▁N ixon ▁carried ▁New ▁Jersey ▁with ▁ 6 1 . 5 7 % ▁to ▁McG overn ' s ▁ 3 6 . 7 7 %, ▁a ▁margin ▁of ▁ 2 4 . 8 0 %. ▁ ▁N ixon ▁swe pt ▁every ▁county ▁in ▁New ▁Jersey , ▁including ▁even ▁traditional ▁Democratic ▁strong holds ▁like ▁Es sex ▁County , ▁Mer cer ▁County , ▁and ▁Hudson ▁County . ▁N ixon ' s ▁unique ▁nation wide ▁appeal ▁to ▁working - class ▁Democr ats ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁was ▁most ▁evident ▁in ▁his ▁performance ▁in ▁Hudson ▁County ; ▁the ▁tradition ally ▁heavily ▁Democratic ▁county , ▁which ▁N ixon ▁had ▁lost ▁decis ively ▁with ▁less ▁than ▁forty ▁percent ▁of ▁the ▁vote ▁in ▁both ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁and ▁ 1 9 6 8 , ▁went ▁to ▁N ixon ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁by ▁a ▁ 6 0 – 3 9 ▁margin . ▁This ▁remains ▁the ▁last ▁election ▁in ▁which ▁a