NJ Dem leader refuses to concede to GOP truck driver, says thousands of ballots ‘recently found’

Democratic New Jersey Senate President Steve Sweeney says thousands of “recently found” ballots supports his refusal to concede to a Republican challenger who ran a low-budget campaign

“The results from Tuesday’s election continue to come in, for instance there were 12,000 ballots recently found in one county,” Sweeney said in an email to the Philadelphia Inquirer on Thursday. “While I am currently trailing in the race, we want to make sure every vote is counted. Our voters deserve that, and we will wait for the final results.”

Sweeney’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment on the matter, specifically on identifying which South Jersey county recently found the ballots. 

Sweeney has been in the state Senate seat in South Jersey’s 3rd district since 2002. 

The Associated Press called the race for Republican truck driver and political newcomer, Edward Durr, Thursday morning, with 100% of precincts reporting at 32,742 votes for Durr to 30,444 for Sweeney. 

By Sunday morning, Sweeney has not conceded. Democratic State Sen. Nicholas Scutari is poised to succeed Sweeney as Senate president, NJ.com reported Friday.  

Durr, a Raymour & Flanigan furniture truck driver, ran a campaign based on his conservative and blue collar values. He ran a low-budget campaign, shooting a campaign video on a smartphone and rarely hitting the trail to meet with voters, CBS New York reported

“It didn’t happen because of me. I’m nobody. I’m just a simple guy,” Durr said last week of the projected win. “It was a repudiation of the policies that have been forced down our throat, people told they can’t go to school, can’t go shopping. You cannot continue to tell people they can’t do things when we live in the freest country in the world.”

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