Senate President Steve Sweeney fought off a surprisingly tough challenge from his Republican opponent, funded by NJEA money.
New Jersey voters went to the polls yesterday and turned their attention to all 120 seats in the Legislature, ending a busy election season that was rife with special interest spending, political attack ads and controversial mailers, as well as some energetic get-out-the-vote efforts.
Democrats now control the Legislature and the chief executive’s position after former ambassador to Germany Phil Murphy defeated Republican opponent Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno in the state’s high-profile governor’s race. The party had previously held majorities in both the Senate, where Democrats had a 24-16 advantage over Republicans, and Assembly, where they had a 52-28 edge.
They expanded that control last night, picking up one seat in the upper house and, though the final votes have yet to be tallied, likely two in the lower.. An upset in the 11th District helped bump the party’s Senate majority up to 25, while victories in the 2nd and 16th districts gave them a boost in the Assembly. Republicans also secured seats in tightly contested races in both houses, though they were offset by losses
The night, therefore, was seen as a win for Democrats, who will enter the next legislative session exercising broad jurisdiction over setting the state’s agenda and tackling some of its most serious problems.
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