The New Jersey Primary Election takes place tomorrow. Polls will be open from 6 AM - 8 PM. There are numerous contested races throughout the state on both sides.
1. GOP U.S. Senate
I have covered this primary already in a previous piece, so there really is not much new to introduce. The winner of the Republican primary will have an uphill battle against Cory Booker this November, as fundraising for these campaigns has been abysmally low. My prediction is that Alex Zdan will win the Republican nomination. Alex already has statewide name recognition from being a News 12 anchor for many years, and his Senate run in 2024 gives him advantages that his opponents lack. In addition, forming ALFA PAC was a good way for him to help local leaders get elected.
2. GOP U.S. House District 9
This is a hotly contested primary between Clifton Councilwoman Rosemary Pino and Tiffany Burress, the wife of former New York Giants Wide Receiver Plaxico Burress. This race has garnered a lot of attention as the GOP could flip this seat red in a year that is not poised to be a good one for the GOP. However, both candidates have glaring flaws. First, Burress, who resides in Totowa, is not a resident of the 9th district, while Pino endorsed Democrat Nellie Pou over Republican Nominee Billy Prempeh. The two have sent out direct mail pieces, with Burress accusing Pino of voting to make Clifton a sanctuary city, while Pino focused more on her record, admitting that she used to be a registered Democrat. There is no clear frontrunner in this primary, making it one of the most competitive primaries in the state.
3. Dems U.S. House District 7
Democrats in Washington view this district as one of their top flip opportunities this fall. The current representative for this district, Tom Kean Jr, has been absent from his public duties for months due to a medical illness. The diagnosis is currently unknown. However, Kean told the press that he anticipates running for re-election this fall. One of the top Democratic candidates is Rebecca Bennett, who is running on a platform of being a Navy Helicopter Pilot and a mom. Sound familiar? It should, since it is the exact platform Mikie Sherrill ran on when she first ran for Congress in 2018, and it was a theme that followed all of her campaigns afterward. If the Democrats do pick Bennett to be the nominee, she would have a solid chance of unseating Kean.
If you do not know your polling location, you can go to New Jersey’s Department of State’s polling place search to see where you can vote. Remember, as long as you get in line before polls close, you will still be allowed to vote!
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