Listen to this article

With more than 90% of votes counted here in New Jersey as of this writing, much of the election picture is in focus.

At the top, of course, President-elect Donald Trump completed his political comeback. Major outlets have called the presidential race, with Trump on his way to a second term in the White House.

While Democratic nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris prevailed in New Jersey, capturing the state’s 14 electoral votes, her margin is around 5%. That figure is considerably lower than polling suggested and some 10 points below President Joe Biden’s 2020 performance here in the Garden State.

That trendline portended a big night for the 45th and now-47th president of the United States.

While Republicans also retook the U.S. Senate, Democratic nominee and current U.S. Rep. Andy Kim held off Republican challenger Curtis Bashaw in New Jersey. Kim is up nearly 8 points in that race. Again, while a victory, it did not nearly hit the margin projected to fill the seat of convicted former Sen. Bob Menendez.

Still unclear

On the House of Representatives side, a number of races have yet to be called across the country.

Here in Jersey, the biggest battleground seat saw a flood of national money late in the race into District 7. Incumbent Rep. Tom Kean Jr. won, holding off challenger Sue Altman by a more comfortable spread than projected.

The projected winners in the rest of New Jersey’s House races are:

• District 1 – Donald Norcross (D)
• District 2 – Jeff Van Drew (R)
• District 3 – Herb Conaway (D)
• District 4 – Chris Smith (R)
• District 5 – Josh Gottheimer (D)
• District 6 – Frank Pallone (D)
• District 8 – Rob Menendez (D)
• District 9 – Nellie Pou (D)
• District 10 – LaMonica McIver (D)
• District 11 – Mikie Sherrill (D)
• District 12 – Bonnie Watson Coleman (D)

Seeing red

The theme of the night – both here in Jersey and nationally – was an across-the-board strong performance by Republicans, starting with Trump at the top of the ticket.

Harris is expected to formally concede and address the nation Wednesday.

At 2 p.m., Gov. Phil Murphy will hold a press conference in Newark to discuss the election results.

Business leaders in the Garden State are reacting to the outcomes.

“The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce congratulates the winners of the 2024 election and commends them on successful campaigns. Yesterday’s outcomes make it clear that economic concerns are top of mind for voters across New Jersey and the nation,” Tom Bracken, president and CEO, New Jersey Chamber Commerce, said in a statement.

“As we move forward, it is time for policymakers both here in New Jersey and at the federal level to come together to address these critical issues. Our organization stands ready to collaborate with policymakers to provide recommendations and advance initiatives that strengthen our economy and improve the lives of families, workers, and businesses across our state and the nation. Let’s turn this election’s momentum into action for a brighter economic future for all.”

Looking ahead

New Jersey Business & Industry Association (NJBIA) President and CEO Michele Siekerka also congratulated the election winners.

“And we’re encouraged by the many candidates who took the time during their campaigns to speak to the business community over the past year during county Employer Legislative Committee meetings, at NJBIA events or events with other great business groups throughout the state,” said Siekerka. “This shows us that the voice of business remains important, and we will have a seat at the table.”

“We also look forward to what we know will become a very passionate and spirited gubernatorial race in New Jersey over the next year. We’re thrilled that some have already committed to appearing at our annual Public Policy Forum on Dec. 4,” she continued. “And we also gladly anticipate the continued engagement with the business community from members of the Legislature as they also approach their election year. As always, the business community will be seeking policies that have balance as a foundation and provide us with a better business climate for us to succeed.”

Murphy reacts

During a press conference with reporters in Newark Nov. 6, Gov. Phil Murphy gave his reaction to the 2024 election results.

He opened by lauding the participation of New Jersey voters. The governor projected that the total number of New Jersey voters would land at about 4.2 million or 4.3 million.

“The amount of folks who showed up and voted this time – whether it was through the mail, in-person early, or on gameday is a very impressive number,” said Murphy. “This year, there is no doubt the margins in our state were far tighter. And by the way, if you look at other similar states, you’ll notice that their margins shrank just about the same – Illinois, New York, Maryland, ourselves, California – all came in somewhere between 10 and 12 points relative to the performance in 2020.”

Murphy thanked the vice president and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz for running a hard-fought race at the top of the Democratic ticket, which he said was grounded in so many of New Jersey’s shared values.

“And as we look toward the future, our administration is committed to working with President Trump wherever we can to advance New Jersey’s interests just as we did throughout his first term,” said Murphy. “Our commitment is not to any person or any party – but to the people of New Jersey, and to the rule of law. And it is precisely for that reason – as we respect the peaceful transition of power – that if there is any attack on the Garden State or on any of its communities from Washington, I will fight back with every fiber of my being.

Moving forward

“But just as it is our responsibility to continue to stand up against any threat to our state or to our people, it is also our responsibility to take any opportunity that presents itself to work with the president to protect and uplift the people of our state. Because that is what responsible leaders do. In many respects, we began our administration on the same note, with President Trump having been sworn in the year before.

“Indeed, we governed alongside the Trump administration for our first three years,” Murphy continued. “And while my administration stood up fiercely during President Trump’s first term – on things like defending a women’s right to choose, advancing commonsense gun safety policies, protecting our immigrant communities. We will continue to do so on all of these fronts and many more.”

The governor stressed that his administration showed the ability to work with Trump and his team to advance policies and initiatives that make life better for New Jerseyans. He pointed to securing funding for the new Portal North Bridge as evidence of that.

New Jersey first

“The point is – we have been down this road before. And when we have put New Jersey and our shared values first, we have emerged stronger. We have faced extreme adversity before,” said Murphy. “And when we refuse to give in, we have emerged tougher. We have been fearful of what the future holds before. Our allies and adversaries alike waiting to see what path we chose. And when we have stayed true to our values, we have emerged more united as a nation, as a state, and as a people.

“While I know it may sound counterintuitive at a moment such as this, this is a nation that celebrates what unites us as much as what sets us apart. A nation where you can vote as you please, pray as you choose, and be who you are. And despite it all, and even in a moment like this, we are still united by a common sense of purpose.”

Murphy then took questions about the election impact as well as what it means for the future of the Democratic party, the state and more.

Watch the governor’s full remarks and the Q&A below:

Editor’s note: This story was updated at 3:31 p.m. ET Nov. 6, 2024, with Gov. Phil Murphy’s reaction.

See also:

Early voting numbers broke records here in New Jersey. Read more >>