Another sign of things to come in November? Extrapolation is a dangerous game, Save Jerseyans, but the signs of a building red wave are all there including in one “blue” Bergen County town.
As of Wednesday morning, Republican Danyel Cicarelli led Democrat Katherine Bennin by 51 votes (585 to 534). Votes can still come in through Monday due to New Jersey’s goofy mail-in voting laws, but the trend is compelling.
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Cicarelli and Bennin, the incumbent, tied in November resulting in a new election.
Joe Biden carried the town by 19-points in 2020.
In 2021, Phil Murphy carried the borough by 14-points and Republican Samuel Conoscenti bested Democratic Councilman Douglas Herrick by a similar 50 vote margin to the latest Cicarelli vs. Bennin result.
Cicarelli’s apparent victory takes the council to 4-2 Democrat; it was 6-0 prior to the 2021 election.
What matters: Republicans are suddenly more competitive again in places where the numbers suggest they shouldn’t be thanks to Joe Biden’s record.
