The Latest: Polls close in Jersey governor's race primaries
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — The Latest on the New Jersey primary races for governor (all times local):
8 p.m.
Polls have closed in New Jersey's primary races to replace unpopular term-limited Republican Gov. Chris Christie.
Voters decided Tuesday on the Democratic and Republican candidates to represent their party in the Nov. 7 contest. New Jersey and Virginia are the only two states with governor's races.
The leading Democratic candidate is Barack Obama's former ambassador to Germany Phil Murphy. Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno (gwah-DAHN'-yoh) was atop the polls on the Republican side.
Murphy faces a challenge from five other candidates. His leading opponents are Jim Johnson, state Sen. Ray Lesniak and Assemblyman John Wisniewski. Guadagno's top competitor is Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli (chit-a-REL'-ee).
Voters also picked their parties' representatives in nearly two dozen competitive Assembly and state Senate primaries on Tuesday.
All 120 members of the Democrat-controlled Legislature are up in November.
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7:15 p.m.
Voters have begun the process of finding term-limited Republican Gov. Chris Christie's replacement, with thoughts about Wall Street banks and the Trump administration on their minds.
The winners of Tuesday's primaries will go on to compete in the Nov. 7 general election. Phil Murphy is the leading Democratic candidate, while Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno (gwah-DAHN'-yoh) is the leading Republican.
Twenty-five-year-old Sharyn Kingston, of Freehold, says she was wary of Murphy's Goldman Sachs background, but says she voted for him because he's best suited for the job.
John Parilla is an immigration lawyer from Alpine. He says he voted for Guadagno because he likes the range of experience she brings to the job.
Parilla says he doesn't see her as a Christie clone but does see similarities between Murphy and former Gov. Jon Corzine.
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3:50 p.m.
The Democratic front-runner in the race to succeed Republican Gov. Chris Christie is disregarding the incumbent's attacks on him as a fraud.
Phil Murphy told NJ.com (http://bit.ly/2rJjzAg) on Tuesday's primary day that given the state of New Jersey's economy he doesn't have a "whole lot of regard" for Christie's opinion.
Christie called Murphy a fraud and said last week that he was buying the nomination.
Murphy is a former ambassador under President Barack Obama and one-time Goldman Sachs executive who loaned his campaign $16 million. He's running as a progressive.
Christie is term-limited. Polls in Tuesday's primary close at 8 p.m.
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10:55 a.m.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie says he voted for his lieutenant governor in the Republican gubernatorial primary.
Christie cast his ballot for Kim Guadagno (gwah-DAH'-noh) on Tuesday in his hometown of Mendham. During the campaign, Christie has remained neutral.
Eleven candidates are on the ballot statewide to succeed Christie, who can't seek a third term.
Guadagno (gwah-DAH'-noh) told reporters she was "humbled" after voting in Monmouth Beach.
Her rivals are Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, Nutley Commissioner Steve Rogers, Ocean County landscape business owner and actor Joseph "Rudy" Rullo and Atlantic County engineer Hirsh Singh.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Wisniewski (wihs-NES'-kee) voted in Sayreville and fellow Democrat Jim Johnson and his wife also cast ballots.
Poll close at 8 p.m.
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10 a.m.
Campaign staff for the field of 11 candidates vying for a chance succeed Republican Gov. Chris Christie are working to get out the vote as rain dampens the New Jersey primary.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Wisniewski (wihs-NES'-kee) voted in Sayreville on Tuesday. The assemblyman says half the electorate is still undecided, so nobody leads.
Fellow Democrat Jim Johnson and his wife also voted.
They face challenges from former Wall Street executive Phil Murphy, former Teaneck firefighter Bill Brennan, state Sen. Ray Lesniak and Tenafly Councilman Mark Zinna.
Republican Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno (gwah-DAH'-noh) told reporters she was "humbled" after voting in Monmouth Beach and she encouraged her supporters to vote.
Her rivals are Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, Nutley Commissioner Steve Rogers, Ocean County landscape business owner and actor Joseph "Rudy" Rullo and Atlantic County engineer Hirsh Singh.
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9:20 a.m.
It's a rainy start as New Jersey voters cast ballots in a primary to whittle down a field of 11 candidates vying for a chance to succeed Republican Gov. Chris Christie.
Republican Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno (gwah-DAH'-noh) chuckled as she was photographed emerging from the voting booth in Monmouth Beach on Tuesday. The gubernatorial candidate told reporters she was "humbled," and she encouraged her supporters to vote.
Her rivals are Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, Nutley Commissioner Steve Rogers, Ocean County landscape business owner and actor Joseph "Rudy" Rullo and Atlantic County engineer Hirsh Singh.
Leading Democratic candidate Phil Murphy faces challenges from former Teaneck firefighter Bill Brennan, one-time Clinton administration Treasury official Jim Johnson, state Sen. Ray Lesniak, Assemblyman John Wisniewski (wiz-NOO'-skee) and Tenafly Councilman Mark Zinna.
Christie is term-limited. Polls close at 8 p.m.
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6 a.m.
New Jersey voters have begun casting their ballots in an election to decide from among 11 candidates running to succeed Gov. Chris Christie.
Polls in Tuesday's primary races for governor and the Legislature are open until 8 p.m.
The winners in the Democratic and Republican races will go on to compete in the Nov. 7 general election.
Leading Democratic candidate Phil Murphy faces challenges from former Teaneck firefighter Bill Brennan, one-time Clinton administration Treasury official Jim Johnson, state Sen. Ray Lesniak, Assemblyman John Wisniewski (wiz-NOO'-skee) and Tenafly Councilman Mark Zinna.
Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno (gwah-DAH'-noh) is the leading Republican candidate. Her rivals are Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, Nutley Commissioner Steve Rogers, Ocean County landscape business owner and actor Joseph "Rudy" Rullo and Atlantic County engineer Hirsh Singh.
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12:15 a.m.
New Jersey voters will pick their candidates to succeed Republican Gov. Chris Christie.
Polls for Tuesday's primary are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. The winners will go on to compete in the Nov. 7 general election.
Leading Democratic candidate Phil Murphy faces challenges from former Teaneck firefighter Bill Brennan, one-time Clinton administration Treasury official Jim Johnson, state Sen. Ray Lesniak, Assemblyman John Wisniewski (wiz-NOO'-skee) and Tenafly Councilman Mark Zinna.
Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno (gwah-DAHN'-noh) is the leading Republican candidate. Her rivals are Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, Nutley Commissioner Steve Rogers, Ocean County landscape business owner and actor Joseph "Rudy" Rullo and Atlantic County engineer Hirsh Singh.
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For more on the New Jersey's governor's race, go to https://apnews.com/tag/NewJerseyGovernor'sRace
