A New Jersey truck driver who caused the biggest upset of Tuesday's election by ousting the longest-serving legislative leader in the Garden State has a history of tweeting intense Islamophobic, transphobic and anti-Semitic content, it has emerged.
Durr barely campaigned for his stunning victory over a powerful New Jersey career politician
Edward Durr, a 58-year-old Republican, claimed to have spent only $153 on his campaign - although finance records show he spent a still-modest $2,200 to defeat Steve Sweeney.
Sweeney, a Democrat who has held the post of State Senate president since 2010, spent $490,000 on the race.
The race was called for Durr on Thursday by The Associated Press, although Sweeney has yet to concede.
On Thursday evening, NJ.com was first to report that Durr - who was not vetted by the Republican Party - has a history of extreme and offensive tweets.
In August 2017, following the murder of a counter-protestor at a far-right rally in Charlottesville, with neo-Nazis chanting 'Jews will not replace us,' Durr echoed then-President Donald Trump in saying both the white supremacists and counter-protestors were equally at fault.
Durr was seen speaking to media on Thursday near his home in Swedesboro, New Jersey
'Yes, thugs in Charlottesville on both sides. Neo-Nazi & White supremacist....and on left BLM and Antifa,' he tweeted, adding the hashtag: '#HateisHate'.
The same month, when WikiLeaks whistleblower and transgender activist Chelsea Manning tweeted: 'Imagine a world without prisons...', Durr responded with transgender abuse.
'Of course the she/him s*** wants no prisons.
'Shim should be in one,' he said, using an offensive term for someone whose gender identity is confused.
Durr also wrote a Facebook post claiming that the January 6 Capitol riot was a 'set-up,' stating that the police opened the doors to people he described as 'so-called Trumpers'.
When Kamala Harris became vice president, Durr said she was chosen 'based on race and gender.'
And most recently, in August, he likened COVID-19 restrictions to the Holocaust.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said Durr was unfit for office.
'Islamophobes and other bigots should not be in policy-making positions impacting the lives of Americans of all faiths and backgrounds,' it said.
'Mr. Durr should either renounce his hate-filled statements or resign from office.'
Durr has not responded to requests for comment on the post.
But, in an impromptu press conference outside the house where he lives next door to his mother, he said he was symbolic of a greater movement.
Durr was asked what he'd do on his first day in office and he said he doesn't know
'It didn't happen because of me,' he said. 'I'm nobody. I'm absolutely nobody. I'm just a simple guy. It was the people. It was a repudiation of the policies that have been forced down their throats.'
He then took his three pitbulls for a walk, The New York Times reported.
Sweeney said the race still isn't over and he's not conceding. That's despite The Associated Press indicating
