TRENTON, NJ (TIP): Indian American state senator Vin Gopal has been reelected for a third term in the New Jersey Senate, winning the most expensive legislative races in state history.
The 38-year-old democrat senator defeated his republican challenger, Steve Dnistrian, in New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District on Tuesday, garnering nearly 60 per cent of the vote over Dnistrian.
Gopal is currently the youngest member of the New Jersey State Senate and the first South-Asian American to be elected to the Senate in the state’s history, according to his campaign.
Polls were open in at least 37 states of the US. New Jersey’s legislature comprises the state Senate and Assembly and has 120 members from 40 districts. Each district has one representative in the Senate and two in the Assembly who serve four and two-year terms, respectively.
All 120 seats are on the ballot in November’s general election.
The Republican-leaning 11th District had been a focus of the Republicans this year, with Republicans hoping that a campaign centered on offshore wind and LGBTQ issues in schools would doom the Democrats.
Gopal’s seat in the district was one of the top targets of the Republican Party this year.
Until October, Democrats raised USD 3.4 million and spent USD 3.5 million, while Republicans raised only USD 4,60,339 and spent USD 4,44,970. Several outside groups also poured money into the battle, according to the report. Gopal, first elected in 2017 and reelected in 2021, received 58 per cent of the votes to 38 per cent for Dnistrian. He attributed his success to his constituent services and bipartisanship.
“You all tonight made history!” Gopal was quoted as saying in the report after the results were announced.
Gopal currently chairs the Senate Education Committee and is the Senate Majority Conference Leader. He previously served as the Chair of the Senate Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, according to his campaign.
He is also the Vice-Chair of the Senate Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee and a member of the Health, Human Services, and Senior Citizens Committee.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, he created a districtwide organization of business, community, church, and non-profit leaders to address the challenges of the coronavirus to the local economy.
Born and raised in New Jersey, Gopal holds a master’s in public administration from Rutgers University and a Bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania State University.