By CLYDE HUGHES, NJ Spotlight
Truck driver Edward Durr made national headlines two years ago when he pulled off one of the biggest upsets in New Jersey politics ever — defeating Democratic incumbent and longtime Senate President Steve Sweeney in South Jersey’s 3rd Legislative District.
The victory over Sweeney, considered one of the most powerful figures in New Jersey politics, highlighted a Republican “red wave” that saw the GOP close gaps in the state Senate and Assembly while nearly capturing the governorship.
Fast forward two years: Durr is now fighting for his short political life, with Democrats and progressive political action committees targeting the man who funded his campaign last time around with credit cards.
Durr is facing former 10-term Democratic 3rd District Assemblyman John Burzichelli, whom Durr helped sweep out of office in 2021. Durr is also facing his own ultra-conservative record in a district that had been leaning moderately Democrat before Durr’s victory.
Watch our video interview with ‘Ed the trucker’ early after his astounding upset election
In the 3rd District Assembly race, the Republicans are running incumbent Bethanne McCarthy Patrick, an emergency medical technician in Salem County, and Thomas Tedesco Jr., a member of the Hopetown Township Committee.
The Democratic candidates include Heather Simmons, the deputy director of the Gloucester County Board of Commissioners, and Woodstown nonprofit CEO Dave Bailey Jr.
“This is a different election than it was two years ago,” said John Froonjian, executive director of the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University. “Nobody expected Ed Durr to have a shot and were shocked when he upset Sweeney and the Democrats then.
“Durr does not have the element of surprise this time. In fact, the Dems are fighting hard. Durr was an unknown then; this time, his controversial statements are well-known and not very popular,” Froonjian said.
One of Durr’s social media statements related to abortion has become a Democratic battle cry in the race. In a knock on the “pro-choice” theme for abortion supporters, Durr was quoted as saying that they already have a choice, “keep her legs closed.”
That comment was one of several that have brought out everyone from former Democratic Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, who narrated an ad against Durr, to his own 2021 running mate Beth Sawyer, who ran against him in the Republican primary this year.
Durr’s rhetoric has made some Republicans so nervous that they publicly distanced themselves from him. Earlier this fall, six Republican legislative candidates from South Jersey called Durr’s past social media posts about women “offensive and unacceptable.”
The GOP candidates included state Senate candidates Latham Tiver and Christopher Del Borrello, Assemblymen Michael Torrissi Jr., and Brandon Umba, and Assembly candidates Matt Walker and Amanda Esposito.
In defense, Durr has touted his support for the conservative so-called parental rights movement to give parents more of a say in the school curriculum.
“There is nothing remotely political about elected officials and parents telling Governor Murphy and his activist administration to get out of the classroom,” Durr said in September in voicing his support for a parental rights notification bill.
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