2014 NJ-12th Congressional Election

The 2014 Dem Primary for NJ's 12th Congressional District — a contest between Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman, Senator Linda Greenstein, Assemblyman Upendra J. Chivukula, and Scientist Robert Zweiker following the Retirement of Congressman Rush Holt

saw Watson Coleman claim this seat on her titanic strength with African American voters.

With the primary held under the old NJ Ballot System where county Parties awarded preferencial ballot placement via "the Line" — the election results broadly line up with this, as each candidate won the county that their local party endorsed them in by landslides

With Watson Coleman winning Mercer and Union, Greenstein Middlesex, and Chivukula Somerset. As a dirrect consequence of this Mercer and Union won Watson Coleman the primary due to how they punched above their weight (population wise) in the democratic primary

Beyond Watson Coleman's strengths, Chivukula's strengths with South asian voters ended up costing Greenstein a good number of votes in Middlesex county, turning what was believed to be a close race by political insiders into a landslide by Watson Coleman

In effect, Greenstein was reduced to winning the municipalities in Middlesex that were plurality or majority white — with her strong union Support throughout the district and Support by the local West Windsor Machine — delivering her Middlesex West Windsor, and the other two Mercer town in her Legislative District.

In the end, however, Watson Coleman won — parlaying her progressive bona fides, strident opposition to Gov. Chris Christie, Education issues, and strong Democratic Lean of the district following the 2012 Redistricting into a seat in congress.