UPDATE:
The Associated Press has called the New Jersey governor’s race in favor of Gov. Phil Murphy. Murphy, a Democrat, won re-election in a highly competitive race that dragged well past election night.
However, Republican Jack Ciattarelli hasn’t conceded. A campaign spokesperson called it irresponsible to do so until officials count all of the ballots.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
Reminder: This is a state that Joe Biden won by 16 points exactly 12 months ago.
The projection comes from the Cook Political Report’s Dave Wasserman. The Cook Political Report is a non-partisan political analysis website.
American Liberty News will continue to keep an eye on this race. Although we feel obliged to note that Wasserman’s projections shortly after the polls closed in Virginia were spot on.
SEE ALSO: Controversial Trump Confidant Teases Gubernatorial Run
Returning to New Jersey, everyone considered incumbent Gov. Phil Murphy (D) the frontrunner. His lead seemed insurmountable until a recent Emerson College poll showed Republican Jack Ciattarelli within striking distance.
As Mediaite reports:
Ciattarelli, however, did not let the polls discourage his campaign, claiming in interviews that the race remained a close one: “I think he knows that this race is very, very close, and it is,” he said.
Now, with 98% of the vote reporting, Murphy leads Ciattarelli 50%-49%—a difference of roughly 7,200 votes.
Murphy, like many other governor’s, saw a surge in popularity as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Mask mandates and vaccination requirements have remained popular in New Jersey.
The incumbent governor won handily in his 2017 race, as a first time candidate. New Jersey’s governor’s race is one of two this election cycle viewed as potential forecast for next year’s crucial midterm elections.
Despite the relative popularity of Murphy’s mandates, the closeness of the race and Republican victories elsewhere in the state cast an ominous shadow over Democrats nationally.
SEE ALSO: Democrats Look to Kamala Harris to Avert Midterm Disaster
Not that Speaker Pelosi is expressing much concern today:
Other politicos have different opinions:
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Patrick Houck is an avid political enthusiast based out of the Washington, D.C., metro area. His expertise is in campaigns and the use of targeted messaging to persuade voters. When not combing through the latest news, you can find him enjoying the company of family and friends or pursuing his love of photography.
