Democrat Cory Booker defeats GOP challenger Rik Mehta in race for US Senate seat in New Jersey

• Sen. Cory Booker is projected to defeat the Republican challenger Rik Mehta in the race for a US Senate seat in New Jersey.
• Polls closed at 8 p.m. ET.
• Booker was reelected in 2014 by 13.5 points.
• Hillary Clinton won New Jersey in 2016 by 14 points.
• See the live coverage and full results from the US Senate elections.

Incumbent Democratic Sen. Cory Booker has defeated Republican Rik Mehta in the US Senate race in New Jersey, Insider and Decision Desk HQ have projected.

Booker joined the Senate in 2013 in a special election. In 2014, Booker retained his seat against a Republican challenger, Jeff Bell, winning by 13.5 points. Booker's fellow Democratic senator from New Jersey, Bob Menendez, won reelection in 2018 by 11.2 points.

In the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee, won New Jersey by 14 points.

Booker ran for the Democratic presidential nomination before dropping out in January. He endorsed Joe Biden in March.

Sabato's Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia's Center for Politics rated the race as "safe" Democratic.

See Insider's full guide to the race for the US Senate here »