Republican truck driver on course to oust NJ Democrat state Senate leader

As ballots continue to be counted in New Jersey's tight gubernatorial contest, another race is catching peoples' attention. In the state's 3rd District, longtime Democratic state Senate president Steve Sweeney trails behind his competitor, Republican Edward Durr.

The last time Sweeney defended his seat in 2017, he spent nearly $20 million in one has since become one of the most expensive legislative races in the US.

While an official result has not been announced, according to NBC, the current tally shows Durr ahead of Sweeney by over 2,000 votes with 0ver 99% of precincts reporting.

Durr is not your average political candidate. A truck driver by trade, he made the decision to throw his hat into the ring after being denied a concealed carry permit despite having a clean record. According to NBC, he only spent $153 on his general election campaign, which included "Dunkin and paper fliers."

The Republican promised voters that if elected, he would work towards lowering property taxes, and creating a business-friendly environment.

Sweeney, who has led the state Senate since 2010, has never been able to garner more than 32,000 votes in his 150,000 voter district. According to the latest numbers, Durr has already surpassed that threshold, with a total of 32,497 votes.