How did South Jersey vote in state primary races?
VINELAND  Contested local, county, and state office races were few in the Tuesday party primaries in South Jersey, but at the top of the June 8 ballot the Republican gubernatorial contest was a four-way event. By 11 p.m. Tuesday, Hillsborough Republican Jack Ciattarelli had 42,761 votes from the eight southernmost counties in New Jersey. He was well ahead of his next closest competitor. Shortly after 11 p.m., Ciattarelli claimed the victory. "Tonight New Jerseyans showed they are ready for a change, and we are just getting started," Ciattarelli said. "The fact is, after four years of Murphy's failed leadership, our state is struggling." The other GOP candidates were following in this order in the voting. Hirsch V. Singh of Linwood: 23,377  Philip Rizzo of New Vernon: 18,854. Brian D. Levine of Somerset: 1,984. In the Democratic primary, Gov. Phil Murphy was unopposed. He had picked up 55,473 votes. All Gloucester County and Salem County districts are in. Cape May County has only one district outstanding. Cumberland County has two districts not reported. Atlantic County  In the Democratic primary for county clerk, where the incumbent is retiring, there were two candidates. Mico Lucide, of Mays Landing, represented the Modern Democrats of Atlantic County and Lisa Jiampetti, of Egg Harbor City, the Atlantic County Democratic Committee. Jiampetti was leading with 4,821 votes to 501 for Lucide. There was one Republican candidate for county clerk, Joseph J. Giralo of Hammonton. He had 6,185 votes. In the Atlantic City mayoral campaign, Democrats had to choose between incumbent Marty Small Sr. and Tom Foley. In the Republican mayoral primary, the only candidate was Tom Forkin. Small was leading with 1,828 votes to 438 for Foley. Forkin had 310 votes. Camden County  The Camden County Democratic primary for sheriff was contested. Gilbert L. Whip Wilson faced Jason Cutler. Wilson was leading with 17,758 votes to 2,813 for Cutler. Republicans did not offer a sheriffs candidate. Burlington County  In the Republic Surrogate primary, Deborah Buzby-Cope ran unopposed. She has 3,256 votes. In the Democratic Surrogate primary, Brian J. Carlin ran unopposed. He has 8,865 votes. The position of surrogate is vacant currently. State Senate and Assembly  District 1  District 1 Republican incumbents faced no challengers to securing second terms. Sen. Michael Testa, of Vineland, is running with Assemblymen Erik Simonsen, of Cape May, and Antwan McClellan, of Ocean City. District 1 Democratic candidates also were unopposed. Yolanda E. Garcia Balicki, of Millville, is the Senate candidate. Her Assembly running mates are John P. Capizola Jr and Christopher C. Wilson, both of Vineland. District 2  In the Democratic District 2 Assembly primary, there were two candidates for two seats. Incumbent John Armato and Caren Fitzpatrick, both of Northfield, represent the Atlantic County Democratic Committee. Armato has 5,348 votes and Fitzpatrick 5,285. The Senate District 2 Democratic primary also was uncontested, with Vincent Mazzeo the Atlantic County Democratic Committee candidate running. Mazzeo, a Northfield resident, currently is an assemblyman. He has 5,558 votes. Sen. Chris Brown, a Republican, decided not to seek reelection and that opening led to two candidate filings in the GOP. Vince Polistina, of Egg Harbor Township, was Atlantic County Regular Republican nominee for Senate. Polistina is a former assemblyman. Seth Grossman, of Atlantic City, is his opponent and is running under the banner The Real Republican Fighting Woke Democrats. Polistina has 5,083 votes to 2,355 for Grossman. Grossman is a former Atlantic City councilman and county freeholder. He was the GOP candidate in 2018 in the 2nd Congressional District race, losing to then-Democrat Jeff Van Drew. The Republican District 2 Assembly race had only two candidates, Don Guardian, of Atlantic City, and Claire Swift, of Margate, both Atlantic County Regular Republican nominees. Guardian has 1,889 votes and Swift 1,825. DISTRICT 3  The District 3 Senate and Assembly incumbents were not challenged in their primaries. Sen. Steve Sweeney, the president of the Senate and a West Deptford resident, is running with Assemblymen John J. Burzichelli of Paulsboro and Adam Taliaferro of Woolwich Township. The Republican District 3 candidates were: Edward Durr, of Swedesboro, for Senate; and Bethanne McCarthy Patrick, of Salem. The GOP did not field anyone for the second Assembly position. District 4  The District 4 primaries were not contested. Republican candidates were Stephen H. Pakradooni Jr., of Sewell, for Senate; and Denise Gonzalez, of Sicklerville, for Assembly. The GOP did not field anyone for the second Assembly position. Democratic candidates were incumbent Sen. Fred H. Madden, of Sewell; and incumbent Assembly members Paul D. Moriarty, of Sewell, and Gabriela M. Mosquera, of Sicklerville. District 5  Republicans did not put up a Senate candidate for this seat. For Assembly, the part candidates are Sean Sepsey, of Mantua, and Samuel DiMatteo, of Barrington. The Democratic candidates ran unopposed. They are Sen. Nilsa Cruz-Perez, of Barrington, and Assembly members William F. Moen Jr., of Bellmawr, and William W. Spearman, of Camden. District 6  In the District 6 Democratic Senate primary, incumbent James Beach ran unopposed. Assembly incumbents Louis D. Greenwald and Pamela R. Lampitt also ran unopposed. The Republican Senate challenger was John Foley, running unopposed. Ed Farmer and Richard Super ran unopposed for two Assembly positions. District 7  In the District 7 Republican Senate primary, challenger Michelle Arnold ran unopposed. In the Assembly primary, challengers Douglas Dillon and Joseph Jesuele ran unopposed. In the Democratic Senate primary, incumbent Troy Singleton ran unopposed. Assembly members Herb Conaway and Carol Murphy also ran unopposed..  District 8  In the District 8 Democratic Senate primary, incumbent Dawn Marie Addiego ran unopposed. Assembly challengers Mark Natale and Allison Eckel also ran unopposed. In the District 8 Republican Senate primary, incumbent Assemblyman Jean Stanfield ran unopposed. Assembly candidates Michael Torrissi Jr. and Brandon Umba ran unopposed. District 9  In the District 9 Republican Senate primary, incumbent Christopher J. Connor ran unopposed. Assembly incumbents Brian E. Rumpf and Dianne C. Gove also ran unopposed. In the Democratic Senate primary, David T. Wright ran unopposed. Assembly challengers Alexis Jackson and Kristen Henninger-Holland ran unopposed. District 12  In the District 12 Republican Senate primary, incumbent Samuel D. Thompson ran unopposed. Assembly incumbents Ronald S. Dancer and Robert Clifton faced challenger Ahmed Basuoni. In the Democratic Senate primary, Joseph Altomonte ran unopposed. Assembly challengers Raya Arbiol and Michael Palazzolla ran unopposed. Joe Smith is a N.E. Philly native transplanted to South Jersey more than 30 years ago, keeping an eye now on government in South Jersey. He is a former editor and current senior staff writer for The Daily Journal in Vineland, Courier-Post in Cherry Hill, and the Burlington County Times. Reach out at (856) 563-5252 or jsmith@thedailyjournal.com or follow me on Twitter, @jpsmith-dj. Help support local journalism with a subscription.