Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli speaks at his election night party, Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021, in Bridgewater, N.J. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)
By Mike CataliniThe Associated Press
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy and Republican Jack Ciattarelli were virtually deadlocked early Wednesday after a campaign centered on the incumbent’s progressive policies and handling of the pandemic.
The Associated Press has not declared a winner in the race as votes from Tuesday’s election were still being tallied on a night that imparted some bad omens for Democrats. Incomplete returns showed Ciattarelli and the first-term governor were separated by about 1,200 votes out of more than 2.3 million cast.
Murphy had been leading in the polls, has a 1 million-voter registration advantage and had more cash in his campaign coffers than Ciattarelli in the final days of the race. But the Republican has far surpasse
