Edward Durr, a truck driver running as the Republican candidate for New Jersey state senate, is poised to win against Democrat Steve Sweeney, the longest-serving state senate president, after only spending $153 for Dunkin’, business cards, and paper flyers.
With 100% of precincts reporting, Durr is winning with 32,497 votes at 52%, and Sweeney at 48% and 30,268 votes, according to NBC 10 Philadelphia. The race has not yet been called.
Sweeney has been the state senate president since 2010 and has held his senate seat since 2004.
While Durr raised over $10,000, he only spent $86.67 for business cards and paper flyers, and $66.64 at Dunkin’ to purchase his staff food and drinks, the news outlet reported.
In 2017, a total of around $18.7 million was spent on Sweeney’s senate race, possibly being the most expensive legislative race in U.S. history, Politico reported.
He says he entered the race after being denied a concealed carry permit while having a clean record. New Jersey has some of the strictest laws regarding concealed carry permits in the country.
“Well, I’m a numbers guy and I’ve looked at the numbers over the years,” Durr said in August, during an interview with conservative commentator Elizabeth Nader. “We have a district that is 150,00 voters. Senator Sweeney has never broken 32,000 votes …. and so I felt if he can’t even get half the district, that means there’s numbers out there to be taken, and you just have to motivate and get the people to come out and vote. I believe if they come out and vote, we could win,” he said.
Durr said he supports lower property taxes and a more business-friendly environment.
