Powerful Democrat concedes to GOP newcomer, cites ‘red wave’

By MIKE CATALINI
Associated Press

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — One of New Jersey’s most powerful elected Democrats has conceded that he lost reelection to a Republican political newcomer, a commercial truck driver who spent only a couple thousand dollars on his campaign. State Sen. President Steve Sweeney’s loss to Edward Durr in suburban Philadelphia shocked state officials and left state Democrats, who control the Legislature, searching for a new leader. Sweeney says his loss by about 2,000 votes was the result of overwhelming GOP turnout he calls a “red wave.” Sweeney says that he won’t withdraw from public life but didn’t say whether he would run for office again.