Mercer County Chose Christie Over Buono by 6%

While Gov. Chris Christie scored a lopsided win over Democratic challenger Barbara Buono Tuesday night, the race wasn’t a foregone conclusion everywhere.

Christie scored an 18 percent win over Buono in places such as Middlesex County, but voters in Mercer County had a tougher time determining who they wanted in office.

Christie won 48,252 votes to 42,862, according to the Mercer County Clerk’s Office’s unofficial total. Christie won by a six percent margin in Mercer.

This was with 43.21 percent of voters turning out in what has been described as an abysmal voter turnout throughout the state. A total of 94,882 voters took to the polls in Mercer County, where there are 219,560 registered voters. Nearly 3 percent of the total turnout came in the form of mail-in ballots.

The county swung in favor of the Democrats, including the party’s victory in freeholder elections. However, it was also home to another tight race.

In the 14th Legislative District, Democratic Sen. Linda Greenstein and Assemblymen Daniel Benson and Wayne DeAngelo edged their Republican challengers in one of the night's tightest races.

In District 15, Democratic Sen. Shirley Turner and her Assembly running mates Reed Gusciora and Bonnie Watson Coleman had a much easier time winning re-election.

In District 16, Republican Sen. Christopher Bateman and Republicans Jack Ciattarelli and Donna Simon all held on to their seats overall despite losing to their opponents in Mercer County.