Primary wins for Durr, Codey, Pennacchio

Sen. Ed Durr, the Republican whose stunning election victory in 2021 made him an overnight GOP star, has fought back a challenge from former running mate Assemblywoman Beth Sawyer in one of the state’s few contested primaries.

Durr’s win means he will have the Republican nomination in November as he vies for a second term against former Assemblyman John J. Burzichelli, who won the Democratic nomination Tuesday in South Jersey’s Third District.

In the district’s Assembly race, Assemblywoman Bethanne McCarthy Patrick and Thomas Tedesco Jr. — Durr’s running mates — are leading in the GOP primary and Dave Bailey Jr. and Heather Simmons appear to have won the Democratic Party nod. 

In the Democratic primary in the 27th District, unofficial results show Sen. Dick Codey defeating Sen. Nia Gill, a primary win that kills Gill’s chance to return to the Statehouse next year. The two former running mates ended up opponents after redistricting put them in the same district, and the Democratic Party establishment, including Gov. Phil Murphy, backed Codey over Gill. No Republican filed to run in November in this Democratic stronghold.

In the Senate race in the Fourth District, former Washington Township Councilman Chris DelBorrello is headed to victory against Gloucester County Commissioner Nick DeSilvio in the GOP primary. Republicans are hoping the upcoming retirement of the district’s longtime senator, Sen. Fred Madden (D-Gloucester), will put the seat in play in November.

DelBorrello will face off in the fall against Democrat Paul Moriarty, who now represents the Fourth District in the Assembly.

In the district’s Assembly race, DelBorrello running mates Amanda Esposito and Matthew Walker, a former Buena Borough council president, have defeated their challengers.

The three incumbents won in the GOP primary in the 26th District, where Assemblymen Brian Bergen and Jay Webber defeated former Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce and Robert Peluso. In the district’s Senate primary, Sen. Joe Pennacchio won the Republican nod against challenger Tom Mastrangelo, a Morris County commissioner.

Other winners on Tuesday include Democrats Sen. Patrick J. Diegnan Jr. in the 18th District, Sen. Joe Vitale in the 19th, and Sen. Joe Cryan in the 20th. Newcomer Denise King won the Democratic primary for the 23rd District Senate seat. In the 31st District, Assemblywoman Angela McKnight won the Democratic nod for the district’s Senate seat.

All 120 seats in the Legislature are up for grabs in November.