What to Watch for as New Jersey Voters Head to Polls

The primary season is about to wrap up as New Jersey voters go to the polls Tuesday to pick their party's candidates for president and in 12 U.S. House races

The primary season is about to wrap up as New Jersey voters go to the polls Tuesday to pick their party's candidates for president and in 12 U.S. House races.

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has already sewed up the number of delegates needed to clinch the nomination, while Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton could have the number of delegates needed to secure the nomination after results in New Jersey are announced.

She is just 26 delegates shy of the 2,383 needed to win, according to an Associated Press count, and there are 126 pledged delegates at stake in New Jersey.

The congressional contests have drawn less attention, mostly because it looks unlikely that any incumbents will lose, but a couple of races have gotten interesting. There are no Senate contests or state-level races this year in New Jersey.

A closer look at races voters will decide at the polls, which are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday:

ABOUT THE VOTERS

There are more than 2.6 million unaffiliated voters in the state, compared to 1.8 million Democrats and about 1.1 million Republicans, according to state data released in April. Unaffiliated voters can choose a party at their polling place Tuesday to vote in New Jersey's closed primaries.

The deadline to change from Republican to Democrat or vice versa has already passed.

CLINTON VS. SANDERS

Clinton is leading Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the state, according to recent polls.

A Quinnipiac University poll conducted last month showed Clinton leading Sanders by 14 points. That poll surveyed 1,989 people and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.2 percentage points.

Clinton has deep connections in New Jersey. She has the backing of most of the state's Democratic congressional delegation and party chairmen in all the state's counties. She also captured the state against Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential primary.

HOUSE RACES TO WATCH

In southern New Jersey's 1st District, Democratic incumbent Rep. Donald Norcross, the brother of insurance executive and party powerbroker George Norcross, faces a challenge from 25-year-old Sanders supporter Alex Law.

Norcross has loaned his campaign about $235,000 and gotten a tail wind from an outside group that is spending $215,000 to help him. Law got about $10,000 in outside backing from another group.

It's the only congressional primary in the state to have outside spending.

Norcross has the party's support, including a recent endorsement from Obama, and is favored to win, but the contest has gotten personal, with both candidates using family members to attack each other.

In the Burlington and Ocean County-based 3rd District, Democrats are vying to replace Republican incumbent Rep. Tom MacArthur, who contributed $5 million to his campaign in 2014. Tavern owner Jim Keady, whom Republican Gov. Chris Christie told to sit down and shut up during a 2014 news conference, is taking on Frederick John LaVergne, who lost two previous contests for the seat.

Keady has been endorsed by the Ocean County Democrats and the national Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, while LaVergne was endorsed by Burlington County's party.

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