Given the seat is a solid Democratic district, the veteran is poised to win the general election in November.
Former U.S. Army combat trauma surgeon Adam Hamawy emerged victorious Tuesday night among 12 candidates who are vying to succeed retiring Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing) in New Jersey’s District 12.
Hamawy had won 27.4 percent of the vote by the time the race was called by The Associated Press at 9:36 p.m. ET.
The seat is ranked by Cook Political Report as a solid Democratic district. Hamawy is expected to win the general election against Republican Gregg Mele in November.
While campaigning, Hamawy focused heavily on healthcare, the insurance industry, and Medicare for All.
“Every day, I see my patients getting crushed by the health insurance industry in the richest country in the history of the world,” he said at the May 28 New Jersey Globe/Rider University debate. “No one should have to decide between paying their medical bills and paying their rent at the same time.”
Former Middlesex councilman Matt Adams, who was among the losing candidates in the Democratic primary, has filed to run as an independent in the general election.
Adams unsuccessfully campaigned on raising the age at which someone can stay on their parents’ healthcare policy to 30 years old.
“It’s achievable, and I want to start out immediately with something that can be done, can help Americans without delay, to prove that we mean business and that we’re able to accomplish something important quickly,” he said at an April 11 Somerset Democrat primary debate.
The other Democrat candidates Hamawy edged out included former U.S. Sen. Andy Kim State Director Sue Altman, East Brunswick Mayor Brad Cohen, North Brunswick small business owner Kyle Little, Plainfield Mayor Adrian Mapp, Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, Somerset County Commissioner Shanel Robinson, Pennington lawyer Squire Servance, West Windsor technology consultant Sujit Singh, former Department of Energy policy advisor from Princeton Junction Jay Vaingankar, and Princeton University professor Sam Wang.
