Republican candidate Edward Durr has scored a major upset in New Jersey, narrowly defeating Democratic incumbent Steve Sweeney, the president of the state Senate.
The race was called for Durr by the Associated Press at 11:19 a.m. on Thursday. Durr led Sweeney 32,742 votes to 30,444 with 100% of precincts reporting — or 51.8% to 48.2%.
According to Durr, the thing that harmed Sweeney the most was failing to stand up to Gov. Phil Murphy’s draconian COVID-19 mandates. Durr said his win was also a victory for the parents who were tired of vaccine mandates and school closures.
“Main thing that did him in was the fact that he did absolutely nothing the past 18 months while the governor sat on his throne about what jobs, businesses, and stores were allowed to open. He decided what was essential and what wasn’t,” Durr told the Washington Examiner on Wednesday.
TRUCKER WHO SPENT $6,000 ON NEW JERSEY SENATE CAMPAIGN COULD UNSEAT POWERFUL DEMOCRAT
Sweeney has held the seat for 20 years and has served as the state Senate’s president since 2010. New Jersey’s 3rd state Senate District, which he represents, covers parts of Gloucester, Cumberland, and Salem counties. The district has been solidly blue in both the state Senate and General Assembly since Sweeney was elected to office in 2003.
Durr began his campaign for state Senate with a $6,000 budget and the help of friends outside of his district.
Durr said his campaign knocked on the door of over 20,000 people, but it was the attention he received from Sweeney that Durr said put him over the top after Sweeney ran smear ads that put a face to his name.
“It was the perfect storm that took place,” Durr said. “It wasn’t just one thing, but a multitude of everything.”
Durr previously ran for a seat in the New Jersey General Assembly in 2019, but he lost the election. He has never held a public office.
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The New Jersey governor’s race was also closer than experts predicted. With fewer than 500 votes between candidates Murphy and Republican Jack Ciattarelli Wednesday evening, AP called the race for Murphy. However, Ciattarelli’s team blasted the media for calling the race before the counting was done, and the Republican has yet to concede the race. Candidates have 17 days after an election is called to ask a judge for a recount, according to New Jersey law.
