11 incumbents, late rep's son win NJ House seats

There wasn't much drama in the races, which left New Jersey's House delegation evenly split with six Republicans and six Democrats.

The only newcomer is Democrat Donald Payne Jr., who had a large margin of victory to take the Newark-centered 10th District seat formerly held by his father, who died this year. Payne won both a special election to serve the rest of this term and an election to a full term starting in January. Both victories came over Republican opponents who did not mount ambitious campaigns.

The most closely watched race was in the 3rd District, where Republican Jon Runyan retained his seat after being challenged by Democratic former Cherry Hill Councilwoman Shelley Adler. Adler's late husband, John Adler, held the seat for one term before he was defeated by Runyan, a former Philadelphia Eagles lineman. John Adler fell ill with an infection in the tissue around his heart last year and died at 51.

Adler, 53, a Harvard-educated lawyer, had some of the same campaign staffers and a similar message: She would fight to preserve Social Security and Medicare and would do more to help the middle class.

Runyan, 38, campaigned on the platform that the best way to improve government finances is to spur the economy by reducing taxes. He opposed any changes for Social Security and Medicare for anyone over 55.

Runyan said the last two months of his current term will be eventful with major tax issues to be determined. He said conditions are now better for reaching agreements in a largely gridlocked Congress even though the political dynamics remain the same with the House still in Republican control and Democrats still holding the Senate and the White House.