Running like a Trump Republican falls flat for this NJ MP in the primary election

Openly embracing President Donald Trump was not working for a New Jersey lawmaker who was fighting to keep his place in the state's craziest primary on Tuesday.

Joe Howarth, a two-term incumbent, easily lost his place in South Jersey's 8th legislative constituency in the Republican State's primary assembly, having used a surprising re-election strategy when he lost the support of his local party: standing as a pro-Trump candidate, even if he had previously beaten. the president polarizing GOP.

The two candidates endorsed by the local party, incumbent President Ryan Peters – the former Howarth roommate – and former Burlington County Sheriff Jean Stanfield were chosen by the Republicans to run for the two seats the assembly in the November general election, according to the Associated Press.

Lawyer Jason Huf finished last in the four-candidate primary.

The New Jersey primaries were placed at the top of the general ranking of the 80-seat Assembly, the lower house of the state legislature, the Trenton body that draws up state laws and adopts its budget. Each of the 40 legislative districts of the State elects two members to the Assembly.

There were only a handful of primaries disputed – and Howarth's fate was the supreme plot.

Howarth lost the support of the local Republican party when rumors told him that he planned to follow in the footsteps of Senator Dawn Marie Addiego's state and move to the Democratic side – which he vehemently denied.

Instead, Howarth presented himself as a "Republican MAGA" with a pro-Trump platform, even though social media had shown that he had already criticized the GOP president.

The Republican party president described Howarth as a "fraudster". But Howarth insisted that he was finally expressing his opinion and that the local government has become too moderate and fearful to support Trump.

Political experts said Howarth's campaign tactic was a risky gamble, considering polls show Trump is unpopular in New Jersey. But they also noted that this made sense because pro-Trump candidates have held up well to Republican primaries across the country, especially when voter turnout is low.

Now that Howarth will be eliminated, Peters and Stanfield will face a fierce election fight to keep the two seats in the hands of Republicans in an increasingly blue district that Democrats hope to transform to strengthen their control of power. Assembly. The party currently holds 54 of the 80 seats.

Peters and Stanfield will run against Democrats Gina LaPlaca and Mark Natale, who easily won their party's primary in the district, which includes parts of Atlantic, Burlington and Camden counties.

But they will also face Tom Giangiulio Jr., who submitted an independent candidacy on Tuesday, calling himself – you guessed it – a "conservative MAGA". This could divert some votes from Republicans Peters and Stanfield.

All other incumbents were on the verge of winning their primaries at the Assembly on Tuesday, according to preliminary results and forecasts. And in districts with four vacant seats, party-backed candidates were ready to accept nominations.

In a controversial Democratic race on Tuesday, Assembly members in office, Lou Greenwald, the House Majority Leader, and Pam Lampitt, have stood up against progressives Julian Jordan III and Danie Moss-Velasco for the first time. investiture in the 6th District of South Jersey, according to the projection of the AP. .

The race mirrored the state-wide party uproar, in which the more moderate wing clashes with progressives who identify with Gov. Phil Murphy.

"Our job now is to come together, to put aside our differences and to listen to us – not to debate, but to unite around our common values ​​and ideals," Greenwald and Lampitt said in a joint statement after their victory. .

Outgoing MP Anthony M. Bucco won one of the Republican titles in the 25th district of North Jersey during a closely watched Republican battle. Denville municipal councilor Brian Bergen grabbed the other to compete for the vacant seat of Michael Patrick Carroll, outgoing president of the Republican party, according to the AP.

Democrats also hope to overthrow this traditionally GOP-led district in November.

Now that appointments are established, attention is shifting to November and the mid-term elections two years after Murphy's first term as governor.

Murphy's fellow Democrats should not lose their majority in the House. In fact, they hope to get a few more seats to strengthen their control of the room.

Republicans, however, believe they have the opportunity to reconquer some seats they have lost in recent years while the Democratic Party is struggling with internal conflicts.

"The people of New Jersey deserve honest answers to the real problems of our state. Dishonest and Democratic spenders such as Phil Murphy and his flood of taxes on rain, taxes on success, rent, lease, Uber and on guns just do not do the business. "We can do better," GOP Chairman Doug Steinhardt said in a statement.

Brent Johnson can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @ johnsb01.

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