TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Voters in New Jersey are going to the polls to determine whether Democrat Cory Booker or Republican Steve Lonegan will complete the final year of U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg’s term.
Public opinion polls show the 44-year-old Booker with a double-digit lead heading into the election. He’s seeking to become the second black U.S. senator, along with Republican Tim Scott of South Carolina.
The 57-year-old Lonegan quit a conservative political advocacy group to run for office.
No one’s quite sure how to predict voter turnout for a race being decided on a Wednesday in October.
Gov. Chris Christie set the date for the special election — Oct. 16 — three weeks ahead of his own re-election test.
Lautenberg, a liberal Democrat, died in office in June.
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