Pappas, Panico, Lukac Take Lead In NJ 16: Election 2021

PRINCETON, NJ — Early Wednesday morning, Republican candidates for assembly and senate in NJ 16 took a lead over their opponents.

On Tuesday night, with 81 percent votes counted, Assemblyman Andrew Zwicker, Incumbent Roy Freiman, and newcomer Sadaf Jaffer were leading the race. But with more votes coming in overnight, Republican candidate for senate Michael Pappas, and assembly candidates Vincent T. Panico and Joseph A. Lukac III took the lead.

The results will remain unofficial pending certification.

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As of 9:30 a.m. Wednesday morning here's the count:

Senate

• Pappas (R): 31,750
• Zwicker (D): 29,946

Assembly

• Panico (R): 31,936
• Lukac (R): 31,322
• Freiman (D): 29,339
• Jaffer (D): 27,104

Pappas, a Township Administrator in Bridgewater is facing Zwicker. He also served as Congressman from 1997 to 1999. Pappas defeated Jeffrey E. Grant for the GOP nomination.

Zwicker is a scientist and teacher who was elected to the assembly in 2015. "A lifelong New Jersey resident, Andrew is head of Communications and Public Outreach at Princeton University's Plasma Physics Laboratory, a world leader in developing an advanced form of energy," says his reelection website. If elected he could become the first Democrat to represent the district in the Senate.

Panico is a Readington resident and president of the Hunterdon Central Regional Board of Education. He is currently an MBA candidate at Auburn University (Montgomery). He wants to prioritize small business, open space, critical infrastructure, environmental policy and education.

Lukac is a U.S. Army veteran and Manville councilman.

Incumbent Freiman is from Hillsborough. "As we emerge from a global pandemic that literally stopped the world in its tracks and adapt to our "new normal," it is more important now than ever to put aside partisan ideology and work towards a better future for all New Jersey residents," he said in his reelection platform.

Jaffer teaches at Princeton University and has served two terms as Mayor of Montgomery Township, becoming the first South Asian American Woman elected Mayor in New Jersey. " Using her local expertise, Sadaf will work to amplify the voices of LD16 residents, especially underrepresented communities," says her candidate website.

District 16 spans 4 counties - Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset.