8/13-Booker, Lonegan Victors in Special Primary Election for US Senate

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Voters went to the polls Tuesday and chose Newark Mayor Cory Booker as the Democrat’s standard bearer and former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan as the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate for a rare special election that will be held Wednesday, Oct. 16.
Tuesday’s primary and the October special election were called by Gov. Chris Christie following the death of N.J. Senator Frank Lautenberg.
Those voting in the Democratic primary had four candidates from which to choose: Booker, who got about 59 percent of the vote; Long Branch’s own Congressman Frank Pallone of the 6th Congressional District who captured about 20 percent of the vote; state Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver who got 4 percent and Congressman Rush Holt of the 12th District who took 17 percent.
Republicans turned out for Steve Lonegan, who garnered about 80 percent of the vote. Political newcomer Alieta Eck, a physician from Piscataway, got about 20 percent of the GOP tally.