If there are surprises in tonight's House and Senate New Jersey races ... well, it'll be a surprise.

UPDATE, 10 p.m.: Democratic Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill has defeated her Republican opponent to win her second term, defeating Republican attorney Rosemary Becchi. Sherrill was part of the Democratic Blue Wave in 2018. Morris County, in Sherrill's 11th Congressional District, is giving Democratic Vice President Joe Biden a lead. Morris County had traditionally been a Republican County and went for Donald Trump in 2016.

In the 2nd Congressional District, perhaps the most-watched contest in the state, U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew maintains a lead over Democrat Amy Kennedy. Van Drew was elected two years ago as a Democrat but switched parties earlier this year as a response to the Democratic-led impeachment of Trump.

In the 7th Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Tom Malinowski appears poised to be re-elected by beating a challenge by Republican state Sen. Tom Kean Jr.

UPDATE, 8.02 p.m.: Even with many votes uncounted — and some yet to show up for days — the Associated Press has called the U.S. Senate race for Cory Booker.

Rarely is a U.S. Senate election as quiet as this year’s matchup in New Jersey, in which U.S. Sen. Cory Booker had been widely expected to win a second full term and deliver the Democrats a 17th consecutive win in a Garden State senate race.

“Cory Booker is going to cruise to re-election. I don’t think anybody seriously expects that not to be the case,” Rowan University political scientist Ben Dworkin previously told New Jersey 101.5.

Booker was expected to speak at the New Jersey Democratic State Senate Committee Virtual Victory Party at 9 p.m.

"This has been a historic election for both our state and our nation," he wrote on Facebook Tuesday evening, about an hour before polls closed.

Booker, who unsuccessfully ran for president in this year's primary, defeated Republican business executive Rik Mehta.

See here throughout Election Day and Night for updates, as well as unofficial results as they come in. Results will not include provisional ballots cast on Election Day, and may not include all mail-in or machine votes. 

The federal race to watch in New Jersey is that of former Democrat turned Republican Jeff Van Drew vs. still-Democrat Amy Kennedy in the 2nd Congressional District. Van Drew turned the district blue with his victory two years ago. Kennedy hopes to do so again, after Van Drew switched sides last year.

Rowan University political scientist Ben Dworkin says the three most competitive races in New Jersey this year are the 2nd, 3rd and 7th Districts, though in none are the challengers favored.

 

— With past reporting by Michael Symons

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