NJ primaries: Hugin will face Menendez in November

New Jersey Democratic voters chose incumbent U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez over newcomer Lisa McCormick in Tuesday’s primary elections. Menendez received 62 percent of the vote to 37 percent for McCormick.
Republican primary voters chose Bob Hugin with 74 percent of the vote. Hugin and Menendez will square off in November’s general election for the 6-year U.S. Senate seat.
In the state's 11th Congressional District, which includes Sparta, Byram and Stanhope, Democrat Mikie Sherrill will face Republican Jay Webber in November for the seat long held by GOP Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen, who has announced his retirement at the end of this year. Sherrill took 77 percent of Democratic primary voters in her victory. Webber, in a much tighter race, won with 37 percent of Republican voters.
On the county level, Sparta Mayor Josh Hertzberg and Franklin Councilmember Dawn Fantasia won the Republican primary for two seats on the Sussex County Board of Chosen Freeholders, defeating Republican incumbent freeholders Carl Lazzaro and Jonathan Rose. Fantasia received 32 percent of votes cast, Hertzberg 29 percent, while Lazzaro and Rose each got 19 percent. Democrats are not contesting the race, so Hertzberg and Fantasia appear headed for seats on the freeholder board.
In Stanhope, two three-year seats and one two-year seat on the Borough Council will be decided in November. Only one Democrat, Najib Iftikhar, will vie with two Republicans, Patricia Zdichocki and William Thornton, for the two three-year terms. Republican Raymond Cipolini will face off against Democrat Anthony Riccardi for the two-year term.