U.S. Senate

Rob Andrews thought he could build on a solid base in South Jersey, but in the end he polled considerably less votes than Jim Florio did in his 2000 Democratic Senate primary against Jon Corzine.  Florio won about 182,000 votes, while Andrews won about 101,000.  And in the Republican Senate primary, Murray Sabrin received about 10,000 votes less than he did when he ran eight years ago.

Frank Lautenberg is headed to a substantial victory in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate.  He won huge margins in Bergen (79%), Essex (77%), Hudson (75%), Mercer (74%), and Passaic (80%). Rob Andrews won big in Camden (88%), and Gloucester (80%), but won more narrowly in other South Jersey counties.  In Middlesex, where Andrews had the support of several key party leaders, Lautenberg won 58%-33%, and in Union County, where State Sen. Ray Lesniak was backing Andrews, Lautenberg won 68%-28%.

[img_assist|nid=18131|title=Frank Lautenberg, 84, won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, defeating Rob Andrews by a wide margin|desc=Getty Images Photo|link=none|align=none|width=420|height=265]

Incumbent Frank Lautenberg has won renomination for a fifth term in the United States Senate. He leads Rep. Rob Andrews by a 61%-34% margin. Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello is running a weak third with 5% of the vote. Lautenberg won huge margins in Bergen, Hudson, Essex and Passaic counties, carried Middlesex and Union comfortably, and held his own in several South Jersey counties.

In the GOP primary, former Rep. Dick Zimmer leads State Sen. Joe Pennacchio by a 46-40% margin. Ramapo College Professor Murray Sabrin has 14% of the vote.

Murray Sabrin’s campaign has never lacked self-confidence: in an e-mail earlier today, the Sabrin camp touts “internal and external polls” in predicting a 35%-34% victory over Dick Zimmer in the Republican U.S. Senate primary, with 31% for Joseph Pennacchio – if turnout stays below 175,000. If the turnout exceeds 200,000, the Sabrin campaign says, “Dr. Murray Sabrin will be running away with the victory and the percentages aren't necessary to discuss!”

Five of the six candidates for United States Senator in today’s primary election have run statewide before: Frank Lautenberg for the Senate in 1982, 1988, 1994, and 2002; Rob Andrews for Governor in the 1997 primary; Donald Cresitello in the 1982 U.S. Senate primary; Dick Zimmer for the Senate in 1996; and Murray Sabrin for Governor in 1997 (as the Libertarian candidate) and for GOP U.S. Senate nomination in 2000.

ZIMMER ANNOUNCES FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF TOP SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP

- Campaign Highlights Key Supporters -

There seems to be a general consensus among political insiders as to who won the Democratic U.S. Senate debate: Steve DeMicco.  Frank Lautenberg was less than impressive – not even close to his performance in previous debates against Millicent Fenwick, Pete Dawkins, Chuck Haytaian and Doug Forrester – but the debate was at 8PM on a Friday night, so it didn’t really matter.  That’s why DeMicco, Lautenberg’s consultant, was the winner – his campaign took quite a few hits for not engaging Rob Andrews in network TV debates, but it appears that was the right call.

Former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan, the leader of the conservative wing of the New Jersey Republican Party, is expected to endorse Joseph Pennacchio for the GOP U.S. Senate nomination on Monday.  Lonegan, a possible candidate for the 2009 Republican gubernatorial nomination and an unpaid PolitickerNJ.com columnist, has the ability to influence a large block of undecided voters in Tuesday’s primary election.

The Record has endorsed two candidates for U.S. Senate: incumbent Frank Lautenberg in the Democratic primary, and former Rep. Dick Zimmer for the GOP nomination. 

The New York Times endorsed Frank Lautenberg for the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination.  Sensing their work in New Jersey was over, the declined to cover the debate between Lautenberg and Rob Andrews on NJN Friday night.  The newspaper is backing Dick Zimmer for the GOP Senate nod.  Their decision not to cover the lone TV debate in the Lautenberg-Andrews primary comes a week after they moved their talented Bureau Chief, David Chen, from Trenton to New York City Hall.  The New York Times, perhaps reading Jon Corzine’s memo on filling vacancies slowly, has not yet announced who – if anyone – will represent the New York Times in New Jersey.