Tim Alexander, a civil rights attorney from Galloway Township, will not seek a recount in the Democratic primary to determine who will run against U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd, in November.
He conceded the race Tuesday afternoon with a call to winner Joe Salerno, a businessman from Lower Township, Alexander said.
Salerno leads Alexander by 443 votes in the latest counts.
“I did hear from Tim. It was very gracious of him to call,” Salerno said Tuesday evening. “I’m excited to move on to the general.”
As of Thursday, the count was Salerno with 13,925 votes to Alexander’s 13,500. Sea Isle City engineer Carolyn Rush was third with 7,758 votes, followed by Rodney Dean Sr. with 1,219 votes. The vote totals have changed slightly since then.
Democrats will now work together to defeat Van Drew, after competing to be the candidate to unseat the incumbent, Salerno said.
“Tim and Carolyn and our campaign, I feel like we all ran the kind of race everyone should be proud of,” Salerno said. “It was collegial and civil and a testament to the Democratic Party in South Jersey.”
“We decided 443 votes is insurmountable,” Alexander said. “We ran a hard-fought race. … I’m proud of what we accomplished.”
Alexander had the endorsement of the Atlantic County Democratic Committee, but Salerno’s campaign was better funded and he was able to do a lot of advertising.
It also was the first primary election after a federal judge deemed the party-line ballot unconstitutional for the Democratic primary. Candidates were grouped randomly under office sought, rather than under slogans of endorsed candidates.
Alexander said he will keep working on issues important to the 2nd Congressional District, such as the need for more economic opportunity, transportation options and healthy food options for people living here.
“Three of the poorest counties (in New Jersey) are here,” Alexander said. “I will do what I can, not necessarily with the title of congressman.”
