A South Jersey source sizing up the numbers in the post game said, with regret, that he believes Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-3) should have run – he might have won the Democratic Primary for Governor.

In any event, “he could have really made a race with Murphy, given these numbers,” said the source, noting Murphy’s inability to get to 50% of the Democratic Primary vote.

“I have a hard time criticizing anyone as I know how complicated elections are,” the source added, still speaking on condition of anonymity. “But what the results say to me is that the Democratic party is energized, but it does not have a voice. More than 50% of the vote went against the line. Democratic voters are engaged as ever, but they are looking for someone who represents them. The fractured results make it clear that the party is in need of message that resonates across the board. While the progressives were not high on Sweeney, I think he had a vision that those looking for a voice agree with: increase minimum wage, invest in infrastructure, equitable funding for education, college affordability.”

For the record, Atlantic, Camden, Essex, Gloucester, Hudson, Passaic and Union were the only counties where the line helped Murphy receive over 50% of the vote.