The race between Andy Kim and Tom MacArthur for the 3rd Congressional District was still too close to call this a.m., as MacArthur had a lead of about 2,300 votes but there were still uncounted precincts in Burlington County and thousands of mail-in/provisional ballots.
I like to think about how close this result is and then remember that maybe the most powerful union in New Jersey, the Building and Construction Trades Council, endorsed MacArthur. As did the Burlington County Times.
Then The Asbury Park Press and The Courier Post (they’re each in the USA TODAY Network) hung the same 2,000 word story on MS-13 (the “deadly gang next door”) on their front pages, on October 16, syncing up nicely with the Trumpists’ closing campaign theme that the real threat to public health was criminal aliens in the suburbs, not plutocrats trying to strip away protections for preexisting conditions.
Closer to home, Jeff Van Drew beat Seth Grossman by 5.8 entire %. Frank Formica fended off Celeste Fernandez and Pleasantville voted YES on ShotSpotter.
Etc.
For more news from across your region, see below:
After 1 year out, GOP retakes control of Salem County freeholder board–In a dramatic reversal, Republicans regained political control of the Salem County freeholder board Tuesday, according to unofficial vote tallies. www.nj.com
NEW JERSEY VOTERS GIVE THUMBS-UP TO $500 MILLION BALLOT QUESTION–Voters yesterday narrowly approved incurring $500 million in new debt to pay for a wide range of initiatives aimed at upgrading educational facilities in New Jersey. www.njspotlight.com
Menendez Has Unusual Guest As He Celebrates His Win–It wasn’t the all-encompassing blue wave Democrats have been pining for over the past two years, but election night did bring some positive news for the party in New Jersey including Sen. Bob Menendez’s win against his Republican challenger, Bob Hugin. observer.com
Why Does NJ Have Such a High C-Section Rate?–Thirty-nine weeks and two days into her second pregnancy, Kimberly Heiner, 35, checked into the labor and delivery unit at Morristown Medical Center, where her labor was induced. Her baby was surrounded by excess amniotic fluid and in an abnormal position—presenting brow first, with the baby’s head extending backward, instead of head first with its chin tucked to its chest, the preferred position for a safe vaginal delivery. Her doctor was concerned that if Heiner pushed, it could injure the baby’s neck. njmonthly.com