Justin Murphy Wins New Jersey Republican Senate Primary

Attorney Justin Murphy secured the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in New Jersey on Tuesday, setting up a November contest with incumbent Democratic Senator Cory Booker. Booker, who is seeking a third term, ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Murphy, a former Tabernacle township committee member, prevailed in a four-way primary race against surgeon Robert Lebovics, Army veteran and former state trooper Richard Tabor, and former TV reporter Alex Zdan. Murphy received approximately 33 percent of the vote.

The Republican nominee now faces a significant challenge in a state that has not elected a Republican to the Senate since 1972. Recent statewide trends have favored Democrats; in the 2024 presidential election, former Vice President Kamala Harris won New Jersey over President Donald Trump, and in the 2025 gubernatorial race, Democrat Mikie Sherrill defeated Republican Jack Ciattarelli by a wide margin. Booker won his 2020 reelection by about 17 percentage points.

Murphy’s campaign platform includes opposition to the legalization of marijuana and other drugs, support for aggressive deportation of criminal migrants, and a view that China is the most serious threat facing...