June 2, 2009 - 10:45pm
Inside Edge

Karrow loses in Hunterdon and Warren

State Sen. Marcia Karrow (R-Raritan) was the only incumbent legislator defeated in the 2009 primary election, losing the Republican primary to Assemblyman Michael Doherty (R-Oxford) by a 1,001 votes,  52%-48% margin.  This marks a comeback of sorts for Doherty, who gave up his Assembly seat to challenge Karrow after losing a January special election convention to her by a 58%-42% margin. 

Doherty will now face Democrat Harvey Baron in a November special election to fill the remaining 26 months of the Senate seat left vacant in January when Leonard Lance left to take his seat in Congress.  Doherty, one of the Legislature's most conservative members, is the overwhelming favorite to win the seat.  He would replace Karrow as soon as the November election results are certified.

Doherty beat Karrow by 527 votes in his home county, Warren, and by 472 votes in Hunterdon, Karrow's home county and where she had the organization line.   

In an interview with New Jersey Network, Karrow blamed the coattails of Christopher Christie, who ran at the top of her ticket in Hunterdon.  But Christie trailed Steven Lonegan, who was allied with Doherty, by 557 votes in Hunterdon (a four point margin) and by 177 votes (a two point margin in Hunterdon.

 

Wally Edge can be reached via email at politicsnj@aol.com.