Frank LoBiondo to Face Bill Hughes Jr. in November

The Second Congressional District comes down to a longtime Congressman and the son of one of his former political opponents.

With 99 percent of the district reporting just after 11 p.m., projected Frank LoBiondo was declared the winner over Mike Assad in the Republican Primary in the Second Congressional District Tuesday night.

He will face William Hughes Jr., a winner over David Cole, in the Nov. 4 general election.

LoBiondo was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1994.

William Hughes Sr. served from 1974-1994. Hughes defeated LoBiondo in the 1992 election. LoBiondo won the seat in 1994, when Hughes decided not to run for re-election.

LoBiondo has dominated the district since, but Democrats were energized by Hughes Jr.’s decision to run.  He received the endorsements of Cassandra Shober, David Kurkowski, Viola-Thomas-Hughes and Edward Janosik, all former LoBiondo opponents.

The district is made up of all of Atlantic, Cape May, Salem and Cumberland counties, as well as parts of Ocean, Burlington and Gloucester counties, and Waterford Works in Camden County.

The Second Congressional District is among the top 28 races nationally this year. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee established 16 “Red to Blue” races, which includes New Jersey’s Third Congressional District race, and 12 “Emerging Races” that could become competitive, including the Second Congressional District, according to Politico.