16th District Incumbents Win Re-Election

Republicans Christopher Bateman, Jack Ciattarelli and Donna Simon solidly won re-election to their respective Dist. 16 legislative seats.

With 179 of 181 districts reporting, Bateman holds a 61 percent to 39 percent edge over Democrat Christian Mastrondrea. Bateman has collected 34,418 votes, to Mastondrea's 22,143, according to NJ.com.

The results in the Assembly races are similar, with incumbents Ciattarelli and Simon holding onto a 56 percent to 43 percent lead over Democrats Marie Corfield and Ida Ochoteco.

Ciattarelli has 31,750 votes; Simon 31,170; Corfield 24,240; Ochoteco 22,853. Independent Patrick McKnight picked up 1,174 votes.
 
Simon said she believed the results showed "honesty and integrity and principles prevailed."

"They outspent us at least fourfold—it was a despicable campaign that they ran," she said. 

Ciattarelli said he felt the "positive" message he and Simon campaigned on turned the tide in their favor.

"It feels great to get this kind of support from the voters," he said.

He said in the next term, he plans to make additional reforms of municipal employee sickness plans, as well as further changes to state health and pension benefits. 

"It's my hope that with the governor's overwhelming win with that that message will resonate on both sides of the aisle," Ciattarelli said.