Republican Chris Christie has won the New Jersey gubernatorial race.
Christie, the incumbent, defeated his Democratic rival Barbara Buono on Tuesday.
Christie was expected to dominate the race. The governor was looking to become the first Republican running statewide to break 50 percent since George H.W. Bush in 1988, according to the AP.
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Below, more from the AP on the race in New Jersey:
Preliminary results of an exit poll — conducted for The Associated Press and television networks ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN and Fox News — by Edison Research found the economy was the issue that mattered most to nearly half the voters.
Most called New Jersey's economy not so good or poor, though voters were divided on whether it had improved since Christie took office four years ago. Still, nearly two-thirds said they approve of Christie's handling of the economy.
The exit poll of 1,549 New Jersey voters in 40 precincts statewide has a sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
Christie, 51, was already popular when Superstorm Sandy slammed into the coast a year ago, damaging 360,000 homes and businesses, plunging 5.5 million people into darkness and disrupting gasoline supplies for days. His popularity skyrocketed as he donned a blue fleece pullover and led the state through its worst natural disaster, whether he was embracing President Barack Obama during a visit to the battered coast or consoling a tearful 9-year-old who had lost her house.
Christie underwent weight-loss surgery in February and has been shedding pounds steadily since, addressing a health issue that could affect his political plans in the future. He has refused to rule out a presidential run, which may mean he could resign before his second term ended.
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