Two hotly contested Democratic primaries in central New Jersey congressional districts are the state’s most-watched races ahead of Tuesday’s final day of voting.
The seat held by U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, a Democrat, tops the ballot, though he is unopposed. Four GOP candidates are competing to challenge him in the general election in November. Their odds are slim: New Jersey has not elected a Republican to the U.S. Senate since Clifford Case in 1972.
Much attention is on the Democratic primaries in the 7th District, represented by Republican Tom Kean Jr., and in the 12th District, where Democrat Bonnie Watson Coleman is retiring.
7th District
The 7th District stretches from the Delaware River to Linden and encompasses all or part of six counties. Considered a toss-up by the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia and other election analysts, it’s a race with national attention.
The four Democrats vying for the nomination have participated in numerous public forums and debates, including one Wednesday sponsored by the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters. They have sent dozens of mailers and are running ads online and on television.
It’s the most expensive congressional race so far, with roughly $9 million spent. That includes $640,000 in ads against Rebecca Bennett by a new independent committee called Real Change PAC, which has a Nebraska address and is believed to be active for Republicans. Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot with a resume similar to that of Gov. Mikie Sherrill, is considered the Democratic frontrunner.
The only independent poll in the race, by StimSight Research for InsiderNJ, showed Bennett at 36% with a 16-point lead over small business owner Brian Varela, who was in second place. Bennett has the endorsement of four of the six county Democratic parties in the district: Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset and Union. Varela won the party’s support in Sussex and Warren counties.
The other Democrats are Dr. Tina Shah, M.D., a former adviser to the U.S. surgeon general, and Michael Roth, a former official with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The party in November is aiming to unseat Kean, and betting that he is especially vulnerable due to the unpopularity of President Donald Trump. Kean is drawing national attention because he is key to his party’s slim control of the House, and he has been absent since March as he is treated for an undisclosed health issue. Kean has said he will return to the Capitol in June.
Registered Republicans make up about 34% of the district, while 31% are Democrats.
12th District
The dynamic is very different in the 12th District, which covers parts of three counties and stretches from Trenton to Plainfield. Democrats are 42% of registered voters, while Republicans are 18%. Only one Republican filed for the 12th District primary: Gregg Mele, a frequent candidate who ran for Congress in the 6th District in 2024.
A dozen Democrats are trying to replace Watson Coleman, a six-term representative who is the most progressive member of the state’s delegation.
The field includes two mayors, a county commissioner, a state assemblywoman, a former congressional candidate and a Princeton University professor:
- Dr. Adam Hamawy, M.D., is a Princeton surgeon and Army veteran credited with saving the life of U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) when she was injured in 2004 in the Iraq War. Hamawy has been endorsed by some of the most progressive members of Congress, including U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). His slogan is “Doctor. Veteran. Healthcare. Not Bombs.”
- Matt Adams, a former Middlesex councilman, is running under the slogan “Integrity, Accountability and Leadership.”
- Sue Altman lost the 7th District election in 2024. The former state director for U.S. Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ), she is running as “Progressive Champion for Working Families.”
- East Brunswick Mayor Brad Cohen was endorsed by the Middlesex County Democratic Organization.
- Kyle Little, a small business owner from North Brunswick, is running as “Fighter Against Fascism.”
- Plainfield Mayor Adrian Mapp received the Union County Democratic party’s endorsement.
- Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson of Trenton is backed by the Mercer County Democrats.
- Shanel Robinson, a Somerset County commissioner, was endorsed by the party in her home county.
- Squire Servance, a lawyer from Pennington, is running under the theme “Democrats for Change.”
- Sujit Singh, a technology consultant from West Windsor, is using the ballot slogan “Your Voice, Ideas, Concerns Matter.”
- Jay Vaingankar, a former U.S. Department of Energy policy adviser from Princeton Junction, is running as “New Generation Fighting MAGA & Extremism.”
- Princeton University professor Sam Wang’s main slogan is “A Scientist to Save Our Democracy.”
Other districts
Democratic primaries are taking place in six other districts, and incumbents are running in three of them. Republicans have primaries in two districts. NJ Spotlight News’ elections page, which includes our guide, has details on all the races and information on how and where to vote.
Almost 265,000 people had voted through Tuesday. About 14,000 of them cast ballots at the polls on Tuesday, the first day of early in-person voting.
New Jersey’s closed primaries restrict voting to registered party members. Unaffiliated voters can declare for either party at the polls.
Early in-person voting continues through Sunday. Mail-in ballots must be placed in a drop box or postmarked by Tuesday. Polls will be open statewide on Tuesday from 6 a.m.-8 p.m.
