Sen. Cory Booker won a third full term on Nov. 3, defeating Republican Justin Murphy 63 to 35 percent.
Democrats also flipped two of the state’s three Republican-held House seats. In the 7th District, Rebecca Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot, unseated Rep. Tom Kean Jr. by about 16 points, 57 to 41 percent. In South Jersey’s 2nd District, Rep. Jeff Van Drew conceded to his Democratic challenger. New Jersey’s House delegation will now be 11 Democrats and one Republican.
That one Republican represents Lakewood. Rep. Chris Smith, already the longest-serving member of New Jersey’s delegation, won the 4th District easily and will serve a 24th term. With Democrats in charge of the House, he will serve in the minority next year.
Close to home
In Ocean County, Republican Commissioner Frank Sadeghi won a second three-year term. No Democrat has won a countywide seat in Ocean County since 1989.
Lakewood voters also chose two members of the Township Committee, three members of the Board of Education and fire commissioners, and voted on whether to shrink the Board of Education from nine members to seven.