Incumbents Weinberg, Huttle, Johnson Win District 37

 incumbents Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Teaneck), Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Englewood) and Assemblyman Gordon Johnson (D-Englewood) coasted to an easy victory Tuesday over Republican challengers Robert Lebovics for Senate and Keith Jensen and John Aslanian for Assembly.

Weinberg, a senator since 2005 and a past member of the Assembly, and the incumbent assembly members Huttle and Johnson, look to be returning to Trenton having by more than a 2-1 margin over Republicans.

As of 10:30 p.m. Weinberg grabbed 18,455 votes to Lebovics' 7,514 votes. Huttle and Johnson tallied 17,383 votes and 17,071 votes, respectively. By 10:30 p.m., Jensen, of Fort Lee, took home 7,703 votes. His running mate Aslanian, of Englewood Cliffs, pulled in 7,446 votes.

A final vote count was not immediately available late Tuesday, officials with the county clerk's office said. The Republican challengers conceded and Democrats were ahead by wide margins. 

The Democrats made jobs a key focus in their campaign strategy this election. The Bergen trio also touted their record of increasing aid to school districts as well as sponsoring legislation combatting bullying in schools.

Republican challengers also keyed in on school issues, with Assembly opponents Jensen and Aslanian saying the anti-bullying bill championed by the District 37 legislators .

The pair have also backed the Fair Use Funding Act, championed by Sen. Michael Dougherty (R-23). The bill would reallocate the hundreds of millions spent in the so-called Abbott Districts, returning tens of millions to District 37 towns and, they contend, cut property taxes.

District 37 is comprised of Fort Lee, Bergenfield, Bogota, Englewood, Englewood Cliffs, Hackensack, Leonia, Maywood, Palisades Park, Ridgefield Park, Rochelle Park, Teaneck and Tenafly.

Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by a 2-1 ratio in District 37.