Lance reaches out to the entire 7th District

SOMERVILLE - Claiming victory here tonight in his 7th Congressional District contest, state Sen. Leonard Lance (R-Hunterdon) gave this crowd of Republicans reason to celebrate on an otherwse mostly difficult landscape.

"I think the editorial board support was important," said Lance, standing among his supporters in the Elks Club. "The papers unanimously endorsed me, and it mattered."

The final ad the Lance campaign ran in the cycle trailed those endorsements across the screen for emphasis.

The Stender campaign attempted to depict Lance as a Bush drone, and he ran much of the race without the necessary cash to punch back.

But the man most see as a moderate was able to win three of the district's four counties - Hunterdon, Union, and Someret - with his own brand intact, said state Minority Leader Tom Kean, Jr. (R-Union).

"People know Leonard," said Kean. "This is not a district where people just vote straight down thte party line. They go off the line to pick the candidates they know and respect."

Lance made it a point tonight to reach out to Democrats.   

"I want to go work for all of the people of the district, including those who are disaffected," said the congressman-elect.

He admitted it was not an easy campaign, particulalry post bloody GOP primary when he started with a mere $80,000 to face Stender's cash juggernaut.  

"I did not know whether I would win," said Lance. "I just took one day at a time."

Across county lines in Middlesex, State Party Chairman Joseph Cryan celebrated Democratic victories state and nationwide.

As for Stender, "It's a tough loss," he said.