Clinton, Trump win New Jersey primary
TRENTON, N.J. -- Voters in New Jersey Tuesday capped a primary season that started with Republican Gov. Chris Christie running for president and ended with wins for presumptive Republican pick Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton.
The outcome lacked much suspense because Trump had already wrapped up the number of delegates needed to clinch the nomination, while an Associated Press count Monday found Clinton had commitments from the number of delegates needed to win her party's nomination over Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders.
But the day was not without drama. Christie declined to criticize Trump for saying an American-born judge of Mexican descent could not fairly judge him in a case related to the Trump University real estate education program because he has proposed building a wall between the U.S. and Mexico. Christie said Trump is not a racist, but other prominent Republicans denounced Trump's comments.
With the win, Trump picked up 51 delegates, cementing his hold on the GOP nomination. Clinton wins the majority of the state's 126 pledged delegates.
Voters also picked party representatives for the U.S. House in the Nov. 8 election.
The presidential contest now swings into the general election, with Trump hopeful he might be able to turn New Jersey from Democratic to Republican and Clinton aiming to get Sanders supporters in her camp. New Jersey voters have chosen the Democratic candidate in each presidential election since 1992.
Democratic superdelegate Reni Erdos, who backs Sanders, said she will vote for Clinton in November if Sanders gets out of the race.
"I certainly am going to vote for Clinton," she said. "I think she's very qualified. I have no difficulty voting for her. I likely Bernie better."
Jene Jackson said after voting in Hamilton that she is a strong Clinton backer and felt that voting for her would make a statement, even after the AP count was revealed.
"She's pro-choice, supports gay marriage. ... She's for letting people live their lives, not forcing her beliefs on others," Jackson said. "I also want her to be the person who picks the next Supreme Court justice."
Kenny Sheinbaum, of Lakewood, said he was a "totally committed" supporter of Sanders because he is the only candidate who cares about the working man.
"I'm a Democrat, but I'm really not a liberal. I'm willing to vote for a Republican if I think they're the best person for the job," Sheinbaum said. "I looked at what all the candidates had to offer, and Bernie was the best dog in the litter."
Lucas Biel, of Closter, said he voted for Trump because he is the most realistic of the candidates due to his business experience.
"A lot of people think he's an extremist, but at certain times you have to take certain measures," he said. "And he knows economics the best out of the three."
Christie voted with his son Andrew Christie on Tuesday morning in Mendham Township. Both are delegates for the presumptive nominee.
Trump picked Christie to lead his White House transition team, but Christie's backing in New Jersey might not go too far with polls showing he's at record-low approval. In response to a question about whether he could win New Jersey in the general election recently, Trump replied, "I am New Jersey."
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Associated Press writers David Porter, in Closter, and Shawn Marsh, in Trenton, contributed to this story.
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Incumbent Rep. Donald Norcross has fended off political newcomer Alex Law and won the Democratic primary in his southern New Jersey U.S. house district.
Norcross, the brother of influential Democratic power broker George Norcross, defeated the 25-year-old former IBM consultant in the 1st District on Tuesday.
The congressman will take on Republican Bob Patterson in the fall general election. He ran unopposed Tuesday.
Norcross defeated Law with the help of about $235,000 in personal loans to his campaign and benefited from about $215,000 in spending from an outside political group.
If the congressman defeats Patterson in the fall, he will return for his second full term. He won a special election in 2014 after Rob Andrews resigned as well as the general election in that year.
The district includes Camden and is heavily Democratic.
