Diegnan, Vitale dispatch Democratic primary challengers with ease

Two state senators in Middlesex County, Patrick Diegnan (D-South Plainfield) and Joe Vitale (D-Woodbridge), have both easily defeated Democratic primary challengers in the 18th and 19th legislative districts, the New Jersey Globe projects.

As of 9:15 p.m. and with only mail-in ballots reporting, Diegnan has 89% of the vote against Christopher Binetti, and Vitale has an identical 89% against Michelle Burwell.

Both districts are solidly Democratic, so Diegnan and Vitale – the chairmen of the Senate Transportation and Health Committees, respectively – are essentially guaranteed another four-year term in the legislature.

Two off-the-line candidates for county commissioner also fell well short. Frances Bustos-Santiago and Lawrence Liu, running on the “Democrats for Justice, Transparency, and Fairness” slogan, currently have a collective 20% of the vote, well behind incumbent Commissioners Leslie Koppel and Charles Tomaro.