Incumbents Win Re-Election In NJ 4th Legislative District

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — All three incumbents have been re-elected to the statehouse in New Jersey's 4th Legislative District, according to results from The Associated Press.

Incumbent State Senator Fred Madden, a Democrat, defeated Republican challenger Stephen Pakradooni, The Associated Press projected Thursday morning. Madden had 36,450 votes to Pakradooni's 26,922 votes.

Incumbent Assembly Members Paul Moriarty and Gabriela Mosquera, both Democrats, turned back challenges from two Republicans and a Libertarian.

Moriarty was the leading vote-getter in the Assembly race, with 35,324 votes, followed by Mosquera with 34, 405.

Republican Patricia Kline had 31,354 votes, followed by Denise Gonzalez with 30,986 votes. Libertarian Nicholas Magner received 1,179 votes.

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Madden was first elected to the state senate in 2003. Before that, he was a member of the New Jersey State Police Force, and much of his career reflects that experience.

The senator sponsored a bill giving surviving spouses of fallen police officers and firefighters permanent workers' compensation, according to njsendems.org. He pushed for the law that makes the transition into the classroom easier for veterans, and a measure honoring New Jersey's service members by designating November of each year Veterans' Month.

Pakradooni, who has a degree in automotive technology, is running to address property taxes, according to his campaign website. His goal is to end property tax increases due to home improvements and freeze property taxes for homeowners 65 years old and older. He is looking to limit state restrictions on New Jersey businesses, corporations, healthcare, education and more.

Moriarty, a former mayor of Washington Township, is in his eighth term as an assemblyman. He worked as an investigative journalist at KYW-CBS 3, a news producer at WCAU-TV, and is currently a media consultant, according to servingsouthjersey.com.

Mosquera was born in Ecuador and came to the United States when she was 3 years old, according to servingsouthjersey.com. She became a U.S. citizen when she was 18, and is the second Latina ever to represent South Jersey in the legislature.

Gonzalez, a Gloucester Township resident, served in the U.S. Marine Corps. Her goals include more funding for the safety of police officers, and bringing back police dogs and community outreach programs like DARE and PALS

New Jersey's 4th Legislative District spans Camden and Gloucester counties, and includes the towns of Chesilhurst, Clementon, Gloucester Township, Laurel Springs, Lindenwold, Monroe, Pitman, Washington Township and Winslow Township.