New Jersey’s primary Election Day is June 6, when all 40 seats in the state Senate and 80 in the Assembly are on the ballot. Despite a record number of lawmakers — both Democratic and Republican — voluntarily retiring or pushed out, party organization-backed candidates will likely win their primaries.
“It’s not just which ballot line you get. There’s a lot more involved in it. Hudson County is a perfect example. In two different districts in Hudson County, incumbents were kicked off the line and ending up choosing not to run,” said Henal Patel, law and policy director at the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice. “That’s how powerful it is. If you’re not on the line, even incumbents know, it’s almost impossible to beat.”
That doesn’t mean the primary won’t hold some mystery. In one of the more closely-watched races, in the 3rd Legislative District the shine seems to have come off Sen. Ed Durr (R-Gloucester), who shocked many in 2021 by unseating long-time Senate President Steve Sweeney. Durr is now facing his former running mate Beth Sawyer.
