Party-backed Republicans win 14th legislative district primary

The Republican organizational candidates for two Assembly seats in the 14th legislative district, Adam Elias and former Hightstown Councilwoman Skye Gilmartin, have won their Republican primary against challenger Bina Shah, the New Jersey Globe projects.

As of 9:25 p.m. and with only mail-in ballots reported, Elias and Gilmartin have 46% and 45% of the vote, respectively, while Shah has just 8%.

Shah, who was one of the district’s Republican Assembly nominees in both 2019 and 2021, attempted to get the county line this year but was rebuffed. Undeterred, she filed to run off-the-line anyways, but she never raised much money or drew attention to her campaign.

Elias and Gilmartin, alongside Senate candidate Patricia Johnson, will now confront a difficult general election in the Democratic-leaning district. Though Republicans began the cycle with hopes of competing in tough districts like the 14th, the district’s Democratic slate – State Sen. Linda Greenstein (D-Plainsboro), Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo (D-Hamilton), and Tennille McCoy – appears to be in a strong position to win.