Phil Murphy, the Democratic candidate for New Jersey Governor’s office, narrowly claims win against GOP challenger Jack Ciattarelli, according to reports from Associated Press.

With the electoral win on Wednesday, Murphy became the first member of the Democratic party to win re-election in the Garden State since 1977.

According to a tally maintained by NPR, the voting pattern indicated a tight competition where Murphy secured 50% of the votes while the remaining half were split between the Republican candidate and other party representatives. 

Ciattarelli managed to secure 49.8% of the votes while 0.2% were split amongst other minor candidates.

The Garden State has been predominantly known to be a blue state, like many others on the eastern coast of the United States. Barring the gubernatorial polls, the state legislature– including Senate and House of Representatives — has a majority of Democratic lawmakers. 

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According to multiple tweets made by Murphy before the polls kicked off earlier this week, his agenda consisted of three major issues he wanted to address. These included, “reproductive rights, affordable health care, quality education.”

In Virginia, Glenn Youngkin became the first Republican to win statewide office in a dozen years, tapping into culture war fights over schools and race to unite former President Donald Trump’s most fervent supporters with enough suburban voters to notch a victory, according to reports from Associated Press.

Elsewhere in the country Tuesday, mayoral contests helped shape the leadership of some of the nation’s largest cities. Democratic former police captain Eric Adams won in New York, and Boston voters elected City Councilor Michelle Wu, the city’s first female and Asian American mayor. Cincinnati is getting its first Asian American mayor, Aftab Pureval.  

(With AP inputs)