Democrats have lost one of their two top pickup opportunities in the Garden State. With 85 percent of precincts reporting, the Associated Press has called New Jersey’s 7th district race for state Sen. Leonard Lance (R), who had 51 percent of the vote to 42 percent for state Assemblywoman Linda Stender (D). Stender lost by just 1 point in her 2006 Congressional race against Rep. Mike Ferguson, and party officials had high expectations for her this cycle when Ferguson announced he would retire at the end of his term. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee had poured about $2 million into the 7th district this cycle in an attempt to flip the seat, but to no avail.