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.
In the 2024 general election, Altman made a name for herself by running against incumbent Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-N.J.) in the adjacent District 7.
Although Altman won the Democratic primary in June 2024, she ultimately lost to Kean. In the 2024 presidential election, CD 12 voted overwhelmingly for Kamala Harris at 61 percent, compared to only 37 percent for President Donald Trump.
“The last time I ran, Elon Musk spent over a million dollars against me,” Altman said at the May 28 debate. “Powerful people do not want me in Congress, and powerful people do not want to hear the voice of us. We have to deliver for the people.”
Reynolds-Jackson campaigned on her legislative record as a state assemblywoman representing District 15, which covers Mercer and Hunterdon counties in Central and Western Jersey.
“I brought an $87 million project for maternal health to the state of New Jersey,” Reynolds-Jackson said during the May 28 debate. “I am currently fighting for the John Lewis Voting Rights Act bill against the Trump administration. When I say I’m battle tested, … I am battle tested.”
Hamawy is backed by a super PAC called American Priorities, which supports pro-Palestine congressional candidates.
The outgoing Coleman, who served six terms over 12 years, is known for co-founding the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls in 2016, focused on highlighting the challenges black women and girls face.