Assemblymen Bob Auth (R-Old Tappan) and John Azzariti (R-Saddle River) beat back a primary challenge from former congressional candidate Frank Pallotta in Bergen County’s 39th legislative district, the New Jersey Globe projects.
Auth and Azzariti had party support, but Pallotta specifically targeted Auth, whom he argued wasn’t sufficiently conservative.
As of 10:30 p.m., Azzariti had received 9,921, Auth had received 9,264, and Pallotta trailed with 5,510.
GOP leaders in Mahwah, the district’s largest municipality, endorsed Pallotta after a bizarre controversy over the inclusion of a Mahwah endorsement on an Auth/Azzariti mailer.
The district could be competitive come November, and the Democratic primary is currently too close to call.
The Bergen Democratic organization ran former Woodcliff Lake Councilwoman Donna Abene and former Dumont Councilman Damon Englese. Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop’s Democrats for Change slate, meanwhile, includes former Dumont Mayor Andrew LaBruno and Demarest Councilman David Jiang.