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| © Provided by CQ Roll Call, Inc. New Jersey Democrat Mikie Sherrill, seen here marching in a March for our Lives event in Morristown in… |
By Simone Pathé, Roll Call
Former Navy pilot and prosecutor Mikie Sherrill easily secured the Democratic nod for New Jersey’s open 11th District seat Tuesday night.
With 74 percent of precincts reporting, she had 76 percent of the vote over four other Democrats, according to The Associated Press.
Sherrill will face Republican Jay Webber, who won the party nomination for the north Jersey seat. With 74 percent of precincts reporting, Webber led a five-candidate field with 43 percent of the vote, according to the AP. Sherrill entered the contest over a year ago to challenge GOP incumbent Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen. The Appropriations Committee chairman announced in January that he wouldn’t seek a 13th term, after which Sherrill quickly earned a spot on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's Red to Blue program for promising recruits.
Sherrill starts with a significant cash advantage. She finished the pre-primary period with $1.8 million to Webber’s $226,000.
President Donald Trump narrowly carried this affluent, suburban district in 2016. Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales rates the race Tilts Democratic.
2nd District
In the state’s 2nd District, state Sen. Jeff Van Drew won the Democratic nomination for the south Jersey-based seat, a likely pickup opportunity for the party now that it’s an open seat. Longtime Republican Rep. Frank A. LoBiondo isn’t seeking re-election.
With 45 percent of precincts reporting, Van Drew had 75 percent of the vote when the AP called the race. The GOP contest was too close to call here too.
Van Drew finished ahead of three challengers. Retired teacher Tanzie Youngblood, who was backed by the political arm of the Congressional Black Caucus, was in second.
The DCCC had added Van Drew, a moderate who opposed same-sex marriage and sided with the National Rifle Association in the state Legislature, to its Red to Blue program in February.
Trump carried the 2nd District by 5 points in 2016, but without LoBiondo, who had a close relationship with organized labor, Democrats are optimistic about flipping the seat. Van Drew ended the pre-primary reporting period with $412,000 in the bank. Inside Elections rates the race Tilts Democratic.
3rd District
Andy Kim faced no opposition in the Democratic primary to take on GOP Rep. Tom MacArthur in the 3rd District in south central Jersey.
The DCCC added the former National Security Council official to Red to Blue in February. Kim ended the pre-primary period with $972,000 on hand to MacArthur’s $1 million.
Trump carried the district by 6 points. Inside Elections rates the race Likely Republican.
7th District
Democrat Tom Malinowski easily won the nomination to take on GOP Rep. Leonard Lance in the 7th District, the only contested Garden State district that Hillary Clinton carried in 2016.Another Red to Blue candidate, Malinowski, the former assistant secretary of State for democracy, human rights and labor, bested two other Democrats in his primary. With 51 percent of precincts reporting, he had 69 percent of the vote when the AP called the race.
The general election is rated Tilts Republican. Malinowski ended the pre-primary reporting period with $782,000 to Lance’s $900,000.
Senate
The Democratic primary for Senate wasn’t expected to earn too much attention, with incumbent Robert Menendez running against a little-known challenger.
With 79 percent of precincts reporting, the two-term senator led with 62 percent of the vote when the AP called the race. But primary challenger Lisa McCormick still garnered 38 percent of the vote — a significant showing for a candidate who hasn’t reported raising any money.
The Senate Ethics Committee “severely admonished” Menendez earlier this year for improperly accepting gifts from a South Florida ophthalmologist, who had been a longtime campaign donor and friend. That was after the federal corruption case against the senator was dropped.
Menendez is facing a general election challenge from pharmaceutical executive Bob Hugin, who easily won the GOP primary Tuesday night. Inside Elections rates the race Solid Democratic.
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