It was a Republican night in New Jersey.

Former Assemblyman Vince Polistina (R-2) appears to have defeated Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo (D-2) tonight to become the next senator serving the Atlantic City-based district.

Polistina was up by 4,000 votes without having yet counted Atlantic City.

“We think AC numbers will be less than 2017 because of the increase in VBMs,” said a GOP source.

Mazzeo, a Democrat, ran with the considerable backing of the Camden County Democratic Committee. But the grocer famed in the area for his gift baskets and work ethic showed his own pizazz. It wasn’t enough tonight to fend off a Republican year, as Polistina, a public sector contracted engineer who at times appeared aloof alongside his regular opponent but stayed disciplined, beat him.

It was a win in his second attempt for Polistina, who in 2011 ran against the late state Senator Jim Whelan (D-2), only to fall short, 53-47%.

The larger implications of Mazzeo’s loss splashed on Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-3), who needed to stop the bleeding in South Jersey following U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew’s (R-2) defection from the Democratic Party.

Sweeney went out of his way not to seat Polistina to supplant retired Republican Senator Chris Brown.

Polistina’s win hurt Sweeney, who faced the likelihood of state Senator Dawn Addiego’s (D-8) going down at the hands of Assemblywoman Jean Stanfield (R-8).

Sweeney had hoped to turn the spotlight away from Addiego’s slide into the abyss, turning the retirement of Senator Brown (R-2) into a way to gain an ally in Mazzeo to offset Addiego’s departure.

But Polistina had other plans.

In addition, Sweeney himself appeared imperiled tonight.

More later.