Politics & Government
Redrawn 7th District Favors GOP, Report Says
Numbers cited show redistricting has helped incumbent Leonard Lance.
As October winds down, political races across the state are heating as the Nov. 6 general election approaches.
In the 7th Congressional District, incumbent Leonard Lance (R), who has been in office since 2009 and held off a primary charge from David Larsen, takes on Democratic challenger Upendra Chivukula.
Redistricting has changed the landscape of the district, with many observers saying the change favors the GOP even more.
Find out what's happening in Hillsboroughwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
However, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has put the 7th District on its national list of 20 “emerging races," according to a report by New Jersey Spotlight.
The report says Republicans are calling the move a political ploy, with Chivukula saying the new district is more liberal when it comes to the issues.
Find out what's happening in Hillsboroughwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The report also cites numbers that show registered Republicans outnumbered Democrats by 30,000 in the newly-drawn district as of May 22. It also showed independents made up 46 percent of the district's electorate.
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