MacArthur Wins Runyan's 3rd District House Seat

By Anthony Bellano, Patch Staff

Republican Tom MacArthur looks to be on his way to Washington after defeating Democrat Aimee Belgard in Tuesday night’s election, according to unofficial results.

MacArthur defeated Belgard with 61 percent of the vote. MacArthur will assume the seat soon to be vacated by Jon Runyan in the Third Congressional District, which covers parts of Burlington and Ocean counties.

The race received national attention, and was highlighted by a pair of attack ads that accused MacArthur, the former mayor of Randolph, of turning his back on Hurricane Sandy victims and of continuing to make money off his former employer following his retirement.

Those ads were made by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee with no input from Belgard, and both were removed from TV.

Belgard, a Burlington County Freeholder, was also critical of MacArthur of not being a native of the district, saying he moved to the district to run for office.