Excitement is in the air as Joseph Salerno leads Tim Alexander in the Democratic primary for New Jersey’s 2nd Congressional District by less than 2%, with 93% of the votes counted. The race is tight, with no winner projected and neither candidate conceding just yet.
With polls closing at 8 p.m., the latest results available early Wednesday morning show Salerno and Alexander neck and neck, separated by just 401 votes. This crucial race is one to watch as the final results are eagerly awaited. All results are unofficial until certified by election officials.
The 2nd District encompasses Atlantic, Cape May, Salem, and Cumberland counties, along with parts of Gloucester and Ocean counties. Incumbent Jeff Van Drew, originally elected as a Democrat in 2018, has since switched parties and been reelected twice as a Republican.
Four Democrats were on Tuesday’s primary ballot, with Van Drew running unopposed in the Republican primary for his fourth term. Salerno, a lawyer, is making his first foray into public office, campaigning on issues such as sustaining Social Security and Medicare, protecting abortion rights, and fostering bipartisan solutions in Washington.
On the other hand, Tim Alexander, a civil rights attorney with extensive experience at the Atlantic City Prosecutor’s Office, lost to Van Drew in 2022 and is back for another shot. Alexander aims to tackle affordability challenges in areas ranging from housing to healthcare, advocating for abortion rights and a federal role in ensuring women’s reproductive care.
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New Jersey election law does not have an automatic recount provision for close elections as some other states do. For a recount to occur, a candidate or voter must request one within three days after the election results are certified, appealing to a Superior Court judge in a relevant county.
Trailing behind Salerno and Alexander are Carolyn Rush, a retired software engineer from Sea Isle City, who has experience in transportation and defense industries, and Rodney A. Dean Sr., a community activist from Woodbury, focusing on securing more federal grant funding for impactful community projects in the district.