Sweeney Survives Union Onslaught To Keep Seat

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) --New Jersey's powerful Democratic Senate president has defeated his Republican rival after the most expensive legislative race in state history.

Sen. Steve Sweeney defeated former Woodstown Councilman Fran Grenier on Tuesday. Grenier had the backing of the state's largest teachers' union, the New Jersey Education Association.

The race saw roughly $15 million in expenditures. The Election Law Enforcement Commission said it was the most expensive legislative contest in New Jersey's history.

The union spent at least $4.5 million to try to defeat Sweeney, leading Sweeney and his supporters to spend nearly $10 million.

Sweeney drew the union's anger when he failed to post for a vote a constitutional amendment requiring pension payments be made quarterly.