U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg won his fifth Senate term in New Jersey and Carl Levin won his sixth in Michigan.
Lautenberg, 84, the Democrat, defeated Republican Dick Zimmer in one of two U.S. Senate races matching two Jewish candidates this year.
Lautenberg stressed his record as a protector of the environment and foe of big oil. Former U.S. Rep. Zimmer was best known for his sponsorship of the federal version of Megan’s Law, which requires notification of neighbors when a sex offender moves into a neighborhood.
Zimmer ran a tough race in 1996 against Bob Torricelli, but Lautenberg held a comfortable lead throughout the campaign this year.
Carl Levin, the Democratic Jewish chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, handily fended off a longshot challenge from Jack Hoogendyk, a state representative.
