TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey's longtime state Senate president, Democrat Steve Sweeney, has lost reelection, falling to a Republican newcomer who spent less than $200 on the race and leaving his party reeling.
Edward Durr, a Raymour & Flanigan truck driver and political newcomer, defeated Sweeney in New Jersey's 3rd Legislative District, the Associated Press projected Thursday.
The AP tally showed the 58-year-old Durr with 32,742 votes to Sweeney's 30,444.
Sweeney's defeat was unexpected and threw his party's legislative leadership contest into limbo.
"It's an entirely new big bang," said Rowan University political science professor Ben Dworkin. "It's going to create a new political order that we haven't seen in over a decade."
Sweeney, 62, had successfully weathered a 2017 reelection battle in which the New Jersey Education Association spent millions trying to defeat him.
This year, Durr won after spending just over $2,000 on his campaign according to new state figures.
The 3rd Legislative District covers parts of Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties.
Sweeney had been state Senate president since 2010.
While they did often butt heads, Dworkin said Gov. Phil Murphy might come to miss Wweeney's pragmatism.
"I think Phil Murphy is going to miss someone with Steve Sweeney's skills in getting things done when they can agree on what it is that they want to do," Dworkin said.
WCBS 880's Steve Burns contributed to this report.