Democrats Sweep in Cranford

Democrats won big in Cranford on Election Day!Despite the rain, enthusiasm was high in Cranford, with just over 10,000 voters heading to the polls, a 63% turnout. Last year's turnout was just over 49%.With more than 6,800 votes, Tom Hannen beat Republican Richard Buontempo, by more than 2,500 votes, or 62%.Democrats now have four members on the Township Committee, Hannen,  Ann Dooley, and commissioners Patrick Giblin and Jean Maisonneuve.In the closely-watched 7th Congressional District race, Cranford gave Democrat Tom Malinowski a 1,871-vote plurality over incumbent Republican Leonard Lance, helping him win the race. And in the US Senate race, Senator Robert Menendez eked out a 688 vote win.On the county level, Democratic Freeholder candidates Alexander Mirabella, Andrea Staten and Kim Mouded beat their Republican rivals by 1,100 votes. Staten and Mouded will join the board in January. Freeholder Rebecca Williams beat her GOP rival by an even more robust 1,300 votes! She will hold onto Linda Carter's unexpired term on the Board after Carter's move to the New Jersey General Assembly.