Dems poised to take 5 seats in stunning upsets as NJ Republicans flounder

✅ Mikie Sherrill wins the New Jersey governor's race by an astounding 13 points.

✅ A lack of support for Jack Ciattarelli hurts Republicans down the ticket.

✅ Democrats appear to gain 5 seats in the General Assembly.

Any chances that New Jersey is a purple state evaporated as Mikie Sherrill won the governor's mansion by a jaw-dropping margin — and that blue wave trickled down to important local races.

Republicans could lose up to five seats in the General Assembly, according to the latest unofficial results.

Democrats currently have 52 seats. Republicans have only 28, and that could drop to a measly 23 seats.

8th District — Burlington, Atlantic

One of the most closely watched races is in South Jersey.

The 8th Legislative District is one of the state's largest, by geography. It spans from Mansfield to Egg Harbor City, though a large chunk is state forest.

It's a split district, politically. Incumbents include Democrat Andrea Katz and Republican Michael Torrissi, Jr.

The unofficial results, as of Wednesday, show Torrissi's seat may turn blue. He's trailing by more than 2,300 votes, though no winner has been declared.

"Everything is still unofficial and also these numbers for 2025 will change as more vote-by-mail ballots are counted, along with provisionals," Burlington County spokesman David Levinsky said.

Results as of 10 a.m. Wednesday. Incumbents are marked with an asterisk (*).
The leading candidates are bolded.

🔵  Anthony Angelozzi (D) — 47,261
🔵  Andrea Katz* (D) — 47,109
🔴  Michael Torrissi Jr.* (R) — 44,790
🔴  Brandon E. Umba (R) — 42,890

2nd District — Atlantic

Next door, in the 2nd Legislative District, Democrats are on the verge of picking up another unexpected victory.

While it appears Don Guardian will keep his seat, fellow incumbent Republican Claire Swift trails Democrat challenger Maureen Rowan by 263 ballots. It's still too close to call.

🔴  Donald Guardian* (R) — 39,183
🔵  Maureen Rowan (D) — 38,195
🔵  Joanne Famularo (D) — 38,009
🔴  Claire Swift* (R) — 37,932

21st District — Union, Somerset, Morris, Middlesex

In North Jersey, it looks like Republicans lost two more seats. Incumbents Nancy Muñoz and Michele Matsikoudis trail by more than 5,000 ballots.

Taking their seats are Andrew Macurdy, a federal prosecutor, and Garwood Councilman Vincent Kearney.

🔵  Andrew Macurdy (D) — 48,725
🔵  Vincent Kearney (D) — 47,781
🔴  Michele Matsikoudis* (R) — 42,079
🔴  Nancy Muñoz* (R) — 42,071

25th District — Morris, Passaic

Another race that is too close to call is nearby in the 25th Legislative District, where two more incumbent Republicans faced tough opposition.

It appears at least one of the seats will remain red, but fewer than 1,000 ballots separate Aura Dunn and Christian Barranco, both Republicans.

Dunn is more likely to actually keep her seat, as Democrat Marisa Sweeney leads Barranco by 245 votes.

🔴  Aura Kenny Dunn* (R) — 47,605
🔵  Marisa Sweeney (D) — 46,960
🔴  Christian Barranco* (R) — 46,715
🔵  Steven Pylypchuk (D) — 44,857

30th District — Ocean, Monmouth

Another interesting race was in the 30th Legislative District, where two incumbents from different parties will keep their seats down the shore.

Republican Sean Kean leads the pack, and Avi Schnall, a Democrat, has a comfortable lead over Kean's running mate, Ned Thomson.

Schnall is the first rabbi to hold office in the state legislature. It reflects the growing Orthodox Jewish population in the Lakewood area.

🔴  Sean Kean* (R) — 48,244
🔵  Avi Schnall* (D) — 45,792
🔴  Edward Thomson III (R) — 39,797
🔵  Joanne Debenedictis (D) — 18,981

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