Keep an eye on District 23, where Assemblyman Michael Doherty (R-Oxford) is challenging State Sen. Marcia Karrow (R-Raritan). Karrow beat Doherty rather easily in a January special election convention after Leonard Lance left the Senate to take a seat in Congress. But Doherty has traditionally been a strong vote getter in GOP primaries in this Hunterdon-Warren district. Karrow has more money, the line in Hunterdon (there is no line in Warren) and the advantages of incumbency, but Doherty has an exceptionally strong base among conservatives and could benefit from a strong turnout among supporters of GOP gubernatorial candidate Steven Lonegan.
The winner of the primary will run in a November special election to complete the remaining 26 months of Lance’s term.
In the State Assembly primary, Assemblyman John DiMaio (R-Hackettstown), who won a special election convention to replace Karrow, and Hunterdon County Freeholder Erik Peterson are running together. They face Edward Smith, who is Doherty’s Chief of Staff.
