Published December 23, 2015
New Jersey voters endorsed incumbents of both parties in congressional primaries around the state Tuesday, fizzling conservatives' hopes that fledgling tea party candidates would fuel an anti-establishment tide.
All seven incumbents facing primary challenges, including Republican Leonard Lance in the competitive 7th Congressional District, had secured their party's nomination for re-election within an hour of polls closing Tuesday. Six of New Jersey's 13 congressional representatives faced no primary competition.
The Associated Press declared Democrat John Adler and Republican Jon Runyan the winners of the nomination in South Jersey's 3rd district. The race between first-term Rep. Adler and ex-NFL lineman Runyan in November could be one of the most competitive and expensive in the country.
The Associated Press also declared the following incumbents winners:
Republicans Chris Smith, 4th district; Frank LoBiondo, 2nd district; Rodney Freylinghuysen, 11th district.
Democrats Robert Andrews, 1st district; Albio Sires, 13th district.
In the 8th district, the AP declared Roland Straten the winner of the Republican primary while in the 1st, Republican Dale Glading was declared the winner.
New Jersey's congressional delegation has eight Democrats and five Republicans. All are seeking re-election.
Republican Scott Garrett and Democrats Frank Pallone, Bill Pascrell, Steve Rothman, Donald Payne and Rush Holt faced no primary challenge. All will face the winner of contested primaries in November.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/former-nfl-lineman-among-winners-in-new-jersey-primaries