NJ Republicans ‘Well Placed To Become Majority’ After ‘Red Wave’

NEW JERSEY — In what one legislator has called Gov. Phil Murphy’s “unwillingness to learn” from the 2021 General Election, some Republicans are predicting potentially more shifts in years ahead for New Jersey’s Legislature.

In all, Democratic casualties during the Nov. 2 General Election helped to transition some of the balance of power in the legislature, with 16 of 40 Senate seats and 34 of 80 Assembly, filled by Republicans when the legislators convene at the start of 2022.

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One of the biggest upsets from New Jersey’s election was in South Jersey with Democratic Senate President Steve Sweeney of the 3rd District, taking a fall and conceding to newcomer Republican Edward Durr, a truck driver who prevailed with 33,662 votes to Sweeney’s 31,453. After spending $153 to campaign, Durr knocked out longtime incumbent Sweeney who has been at the helm of a district, previously under Democratic leadership for two decades.

Sweeney told NJ Spotlight that 12,000 more people voted than they had in 2017, calling the effect “a red wave.”

That wave also crested over the 11th District, with Republicans Kim Eulner and Marilyn Piperno taking the lead over Democratic incumbents Joann Downey and Eric Houghtaling. Incumbent Senator Vin Gopal, however, wasn’t caught in the red undertow and prevailed over Republican challenger Lori Annetta.

The greatest shift back to the Democrats was in Central New Jersey, with the 16th District, a formerly-split area, now under all Democratic leadership. The split, however, didn’t sustain in the 2nd and 8th Districts, with portions of Atlantic, Burlington and Camden Counties getting fully washed over with red waters. In the 2nd District, Democratic Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo was defeated by State Senator Vince Polistina, with Republicans Claire Swift and Don Guardian, also defeating John Armato and Caren Fitzpatrick.

Republican State Senator Steven Oroho of the 24th Legislative District, who was re-elected and then chosen to lead New Jersey Senate Republicans starting in 2022, commented to Patch about the shift to Republican representation.

“The election results represent a repudiation of the assault on personal freedom by big government and its corporate allies,” Oroho said.

“With Governor Murphy having signaled his unwillingness to learn from this election," he added, "the next legislative election could be a repeat of this one.”

With 16 of 40 seats in the Senate and 34 of 80 in the Assembly, Republicans are well placed to become the majority,” Oroho concluded.

Read more here in NJ Spotlight.

Questions or comments about this story? Have a news tip? Contact me at: jennifer.miller@patch.com.