ELECTION NOTEBOOK: Races to Watch in the Delaware Valley

by KYW's Ian Bush

POLLS CLOSE
8pm in PA and NJ

RACES TO WATCH
NEW JERSEY

-New Jersey Governor-
Jon Corzine, Democrat
Chris Christie, Republican
Chris Daggett, Independent

Polls have shown this race a dead heat for about a month, with the incumbent Corzine locked with Christie within the margin of survey error.  It's a shift from the battle map this summer, when the Republican Christie took a double-digit lead over the man whose job he wants.  But over the past couple weeks, Corzine has brought out the big guns -- including President Obama, and former President Bill Clinton, and both candidates have spent piles of cash on attack ads.  The key in this race will be the Independent candidate, Chris Daggett, and his voters.  Will he stage an upset?  Not many surveyed think he can pull that off.  But the bigger question is -- if the 10 percent of those who've said they were going to tick the Daggett box don't, where will they go?  We spoke with the director at the Quinnipiac poll who says the Independent's supporters they asked favor Corzine.  Would that be enough to give the incumbent the edge -- one of the things we'll be watching.

It is also one of those races -- along with the governor of Virginia, which went to the Republican candidate Bob McDonnell -- that some pundits nationally are looking to as a referendum on the president's policies.

But it is this New Jersey race that is toughest to call.  Turnout has been light statewide.  A lot of eyes are on North Jersey -- specifically Bergen County -- with more than a half-million votes at stake.  Both of the major-party candidates have focused a lot of their dollars, time, and attention up there.

-Mayors-
Camden and Atlantic City are picking mayors.  In Camden, state Senator Dana Redd was the favorite against three independent candidates to succeed Gwendolyn Faison, who is not seeking re-election.

In Atlantic City, incumbent Democrat Lorenzo Langford faces three challengers.

-Assembly-
The 80 seat General Assembly is up for grabs, with the Democrats looking to keep control of that lower body.

PENNSYLVANIA

-Supreme Court-
Jack Panella, Democrat
Joan Orie Melvin, Republican

The visibility of this race was raised thanks to the millions that poured in from trial lawyers and organized labor, which fueled a barrage of attack ads by both candidates.  Both are already sitting superior court judges.  Panella is from the Lehigh Valley; Orie Melvin is from Western Pennsylvania.

IN PHILADELPHIA, Democrats have a seven-to-one registration edge over the GOP, but the Republican candidates are hoping the low turnout at the polls will prove a helping hand.

-Philadelphia district attorney-
Seth Williams, Democrat
Michael Untermeyer, Republican

Both men are former assistant DAs.  Williams also served as the city's inspector general.  Untermeyer was a deputy attorney general.

-Philadelphia Controller-
Alan Butkovitz, Democrat
Al Schmidt, Republican

The GOP candidate and former policy analyst at the Government Accounting Office is looking to unseat Butkovitz.

IN BUCKS COUNTY, voters will elect a new district attorney -- with former judge David Heckler running against attorney Chris Asplen.