Democrat Gov. Phil Murphy has won the unexpectedly tight race for governor in New Jersey, the Associated Press projects. The running county vote tallies on NBC News show that, with around 87 percent of the expected ballots counted, the incumbent stands at 1,217,043 votes, 50.1 percent of the vote, ahead of Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli’s 1,193,262, 49.1 percent. President Joe Biden beat Donald Trump by 16 points in the Garden State, but Ciatarelli still pulled ahead with a shock early lead Tuesday night. New Jersey doesn’t have an automatic recount law, but candidates can request one within 17 days of Election Day, and the closeness of the vote makes that a likely outcome.
