Van Drew, Kennedy: NJ 2nd Congressional Election Results For 2020

SOUTH JERSEY — The polls are closed, and the votes are being tallied across New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District between Congressman Jeff Van Drew and Democratic challenger Amy Kennedy.

Van Drew declared victory Tuesday night. He leads Kennedy with nearly 70 percent of precincts reporting, but the race has not been called.

"This was a hard and brutal election," Van Drew said. "A lot of money and a lot of power was used against me."

But Kennedy didn't concede and expects the race to continue beyond Election Night.

"As you all know, the polls closed almost two hours ago, and ballots are still being counted," she said. "I have said from the beginning of this campaign that it is important that every vote be counted and every voice heard."

Latest results as of 12:18 a.m.:

(388 of 523 precincts reporting)

• Jesse Ehrnstrom: 1,881
• Jenna Harvey: 2,407
• Amy Kennedy: 131,336
• Jeff Van Drew: 141,202

Polls Project Dead Heat

A Stockton University poll released Friday showed Van Drew and Kennedy in a dead heat. Kennedy held a lead of 46 to 45 percent against Van Drew. The margin of error in the poll of 676 likely voters is 3.7 percent.

“Turnout in the final days of mail voting and how the few undecided voters break will decide the race,” said John Froonjian, executive director of the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University. “Every vote counts, especially in this election.”

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Backgrounds

Van Drew was first elected to Congress in 2018 after his tenure in state Legislature. He won the election as a Democrat but switched to the Republican Party last December.

The congressman is perhaps best known for pledging his "undying support" to President Donald Trump after switching parties. Van Drew said during Oct. 8's debate with Kennedy that this doesn't mean he always agrees with President Trump.

Kennedy, who married to former Congressman Patrick Kennedy, the son of the late US Sen. Edward Kennedy, is the education director for The Kennedy Forum, and her campaign has centered her experience in teaching and education. She was born and raised in Atlantic County. Kennedy has not served in elected office.

Key Issues

Coronavirus Stimulus Package: During Oct. 8's debate, both candidates supported another round of stimulus funding addressing the financial difficulties brought on by the coronavirus.

"We need to get people back to work," Kennedy said. "But in the meantime, that necessary stimulus is going to have to be the bridge there. It's not just the airlines, but it's the small businesses that have really struggled. And I'd like to see that stimulus go to the small businesses and working families, as well as our frontline workers."

Van Drew, the incumbent Republican, wants another round of funding to pass but said "even some Democrats" found issues with the HEROES Act, which would release some prisoners and allocate funding to undocumented residents.

"All these ideas were squeezed in when most of the bill was good," Van Drew said. "So at the end of the day when we left, it didn't get done, and we are still where we are. I want to go back. I want to get it done."

Van Drew also said he believes in financially assisting states with expenses related to COVID-19 but not for poor budgeting.

Climate Change: Both candidates agreed at Oct. 8's debate that climate change is real. Van Drew pointed to his sponsorship of the land and water conservation bill, which "guarantees open space and open areas and maintaining waterways."

Van Drew also pushed support for Carbon Capture — a technological process of capturing up to 90 percent of carbon dioxide emissions and preventing it from entering the atmosphere — along with nuclear energy and incentivizing solar energy.

"What I don't believe in is sometimes we make deals with countries like China responsible for 28 percent of the carbon, 28 percent of the pollution, and then we give them a special deal where they can still go on and we'll pay for it."

Kennedy emphasized infrastructural projects to build climate resiliency in South Jersey, including natural dune protections for businesses and homes and a transition to green energy.

Both expressed support for beach replenishment as a short-term solution to beach erosion.

"In the short term, I think we need to continue to do it for for our tourism," Kennedy said. "But of course, if there's a more viable solution for the longterm then i hope we'll use that."

Van Drew brought up support for raising homes to help with flood insurance costs. Kennedy said flood insurance needs to remain available.

"This is a community," she said. "We know not everybody is moving away."

Policing: Van Drew said during the debate that police should receive additional funding and also invest in community policing.

"There should be reform in anything," he said. "Theres always more you can learn. There's always more you can do."

Kennedy said she has advocated for providing funding to police and using funds on causes such as mental health and substance abuse treatment.

She states on her website that schools shouldn't rely on police to discipline students and should instead have the resources they need for counseling, medical and mental health services.

Read more: 2nd Congressional District: Amy Kennedy Challenges Jeff Van Drew

Since the change to this year's election was announced by Gov. Phil Murphy because of the coronavirus, there have been many questions about how the process will work.

Every the ballot sent through the mail had to be postmarked by Nov. 3. It must be received by your county's election boards by 8 p.m. on Nov. 10.

"Every vote should be safe. Every vote should be secure. Every vote should be counted," Murphy said of the process.

For full coverage of the 2020 election in New Jersey, go here: New Jersey Elections 2020