Xina Restaurant in Toms River
November 3, 2021Downtown Toms River Tree Lighting
November 3, 2021
Governor Phil Murphy Wins Re-Election
He defeated Republican former Assembly member Jack Ciattarelli to become the state's first Democratic governor in 44 years to win a second term.
According to the Associated Press, Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey won reelection by a razor-thin margin in his dependably blue state, while a Republican political newcomer pulled off a shocking upset in Virginia's governor's race, sending a signal to Democrats that their hold on power in Washington could be jeopardized.
Glenn Youngkin, the only Republican to win statewide office in Virginia in a decade, used culture war battles over schools and race to unite former President Donald Trump's most ardent followers with enough suburban voters to win.
Meanwhile, Murphy narrowly defeated Republican rival Jack Ciattarelli, who ran a surprisingly successful campaign focused on themes such as taxes and resistance to pandemic mask and vaccination regulations.
Because of where they occurred, the outcomes in these two states were extremely disturbing to Democrats. Last year, President Joe Biden won Virginia by ten points. He won by more than 15 points in New Jersey. Given the magnitude of previous victories, neither state was expected to be particularly competitive when the campaigns began this year.
In legislative races, several Democrats who were expected to gain re-election were defeated. Steve Sweeney, the long-serving Senate President, was the most notable.
Ciattarelli led Murphy until election night on Tuesday, gaining significant support in suburban and generally Republican sections of the state, while Murphy's participation in urban areas was low compared to four years earlier.
Ciattarelli had a one-percentage-point lead against Murphy on election night, but neither campaign declared victory or conceded loss.
However, Murphy, the state's 56th governor, gained ground Wednesday as additional votes from Democratic-leaning districts were counted.
It's still feasible that the race will be contested. Mail-in and provisional ballots may be counted until Monday, and Ciattarelli could request a recount through the state courts.
