Assemblyman Dave Bailey Jr. (D-Woodstown) and Assemblywoman Heather Simmons (D-Glassboro) won one of the toughest races for incumbent Democrats, the New Jersey Globe projects, holding onto a key district for South Jersey Democrats.
Bailey and Simmons defeated Gloucester County Commissioner Chris Konawel (R-Glassboro) and Harrison Deputy Mayor Lawrence Moore in the 3rd legislative district, which includes all of Salem County and parts of Cumberland and Gloucester counties. As of 11:03 p.m., the Democrats led 51.3%-48.8% collectively.
The 3rd has been perhaps the state’s top battleground since 2021, when truck driver Ed Durr unseated longtime State Senate President Steve Sweeney in a stunning upset, with the help of Jack Ciattarelli’s coattails. Longtime Assemblyman John Burzichelli (D-Paulsboro) led the 2023 ticket with Bailey and Simmons and nabbed the district back for Democrats.
Democrats rely on split-ticketing in the 3rd: Jack Ciattarelli won the district by 16 points in 2021, and Donald Trump won the district by 7 points last fall.
Several factors cut against Bailey and Simmons this year, though. First, Burzichelli is a name brand in the district at this point, and they had to achieve re-election without his name on the ticket. Bailey and Simmons also had to overcome any GOP coattails Jack Ciattarelli may have caused in South Jersey.
But Ciattarelli’s coattails never arrived amid Mikie Sherrill’s victorious night, and the Democrats were swept to victory.
Konawel possessed a strong electoral history: he won a tough 2021 race, and he narrowly held on in 2024.
The Democrats and groups supporting them spent more than $1.2 million defending their incumbency. The Republicans’ campaign spent more than $150k.