A Republican truck driver who spent less than $150 on his campaign may have managed a stunning upset victory against the longest-serving legislative leader in New Jersey history in the state's elections on Tuesday.
Democrats' underperformance throughout the blue state has captured national attention.
As of Wednesday afternoon, GOP candidate Ed Durr was leading Democratic Senate President Steve Sweeney in South New Jersey's 3rd Legislative District by 52 percent of the vote to 48.
Sweeney, an Ironworks union official and one of the most powerful politicians in the state, has been a state senator for nearly two decades. He became Senate President in 2010.
He was also floated as a possible 2024 gubernatorial candidate, before facing a possible loss now.
But it appears now that Sweeney - who spent millions in 2017 on one of the most expensive state legislative races in US history - was bested by a trucker who only spent about $153 to try and unseat him.
Sweeney's likely defeat is shaping up to be part of a wider rebellion of suburban and working-class Americans against Democrats. The incumbent Democratic Governor Phil Murphy is just barely ahead of his Republican challenger in a race that polls had indicated would be a blue landslide.
Durr posted a photo of himself to social media going to vote on Tuesday, hours before his potential victory
The 58-year-old truck driver appears to have shot his campaign video with very little assistance
And unexpected outcomes across local and state races have forced the state's Senate Democrats to postpone a leadership conference - until after they can figure out who survived the competition.
'Due to the closeness of several State Senate elections, the leadership caucus scheduled for tomorrow will be delayed,' Sweeney had announced in a statement. 'The caucus will be rescheduled once the result of every Senate election is determined.
It can even be seen in Virginia, where Republican first-time candidate Glenn Youngkin won the gubernatorial race against a former governor, Democratic powerhouse Terry McAuliffe.
New Jersey Senate President Steve Sweeney is one of the most powerful elected officials in the state
Durr, 58, is employed as a truck driver for
