Watson Coleman Wins NJ 12th Congressional District, Says AP

MERCER COUNTY, NJ - Incumbent Bonnie Watson Coleman has won another term as representative of New Jersey's 12th Congressional District, according to The Associated Press (AP).

With 300 of 544 precincts reporting, AP has declared Watson Coleman the winner. She was running against Republican Mark Razzoli. Here are the unofficial result, that still need to be certified:

• Bonnie Watson Coleman - 141,684
• Mark Razzoli - 56,686
• Edward "NJ Weedman" Forchion - 2,032
• Kenneth Cody - 587

Ewing Township resident Watson Coleman was seeking another term. According to her website, she is passionate about the issues affecting working families of all backgrounds, including criminal justice reform, building an economy that works for all families rather than a wealthy few, and rebuilding infrastructure to improve this country and support job creation.

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She said that the single most pressing issue facing the Mercer community is equality and fairness. Her belief in equality is one of the main reasons she first decided to run for Congress.

Razzoli is an Old Bridge resident where he also serves as councilman. He is a retired, decorated detective from the Jersey City Police Department. On his website, he says his career taught him the importance of focusing on public safety.

On his website, Razzoli says if elected, he will support "legal immigration by creating responsible border policies that keep America safe while lawfully helping those who are less fortunate." He also plans on supporting law enforcement agencies and said he will ensure they "have the means needed to provide every American security, peace of mind, and freedom."

Watson Coleman says she's strong on healthcare. She said that neither "income, social status, occupation nor lack thereof should determine someone’s access to high-quality, affordable healthcare." Watson Coleman said she will continue to lift the voices of those left out of the conversation, and advocate for them.

Rizzoli's platform focused on taxes and small businesses. He promised to restore the Homestead Rebate Benefit and Senior Freeze program "so more than 650,000 residents who are most in need of tax relief will be able to afford their taxes." He also promised to push for aid for small businesses in the community who have been hit hard by the COVID-19 shutdown.

As a representative of the 12th Congressional district for three terms, Watson Coleman said she has worked diligently to serve the people through the allocation of grants, constituent services, and legislative support. The daughter of state legislator John S. Watson, Watson Coleman said the values of public service were instilled in her from a young age. "My voting record and legislative sponsorships speak for itself," she said.

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