Amy Kennedy, Jeff Van Drew Win New Jersey House Primaries

Former teacher Amy Kennedy won the Democratic primary in New Jersey’s 2nd Congressional District, beating her main opponent, Brigid Callahan Harrison, after she conceded Tuesday evening, The New York Times reported.

The Democratic primary had become more volatile in recent days, with high-ranking New Jersey politicians breaking from one another to endorse their preferred candidate. Gov. Phil Murphy and many labor unions across the state endorsed Kennedy, according to The New York Times.

Meanwhile, state Senate President Stephen Sweeney and both of New Jersey’s senators, Bob Menendez and Cory Booker, endorsed Harrison, The New York Times reported.

Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew won his Republican primary Tuesday, beating his challenger, Bob Patterson, by over 60 points, The New York Times reported.

The race was first catapulted into the national spotlight when incumbent Van Drew announced that he was changing his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican in December 2019.

The switch came one day after the House of Representatives voted to impeach President Donald Trump. Van Drew was one of only two House Democrats to vote against both articles presented.

Van Drew’s switch was followed by a Trump endorsement, leaving Patterson as his only primary challenger.

Though Patterson described himself as the only candidate who more pro-life and pro-Trump, voters largely stuck with the incumbent.

New Jersey’s 2nd district leans Republican, according to the Cook Political Report, giving Van Drew a slight edge over Kennedy with less than four months until November.