Republicans are also hoping to unsee the last remaining Democrat along the Jersey Shore in District 11 incumbent Democratic senator Vin goal is fighting for his political life the legislative district is one of only two in the state split between the parties it's also become the most expensive race of the election cycle as culture War issues dominate the campaigns senior correspondent Joanna gagas reports from Monmouth County he's a lone Democrat in a sea of republic an Senator Vin goal who managed to hold on to his senate seat in the last election even as his two running mates lost to Republicans the two-term senator is fighting for his political life now in the 11th District everybody knew for the last two years District 11 was going to be the hottest if not just certainly one of the hottest races coming into 202 3's election gopal has been a moderate voice in the Senate as chair of the education committee he says bipartisanship is the it Factor that's helped him gain the support of Republicans here in Monmouth County I've always believed in bipartisanship working across the aisle I'm proud to be the state senator with the most bills with Republican sponsors when my party is right I stand with them and when my party is wrong I work against them goal is challenged by Steven denri a republican who was once a Democrat and is running on issues like parents rights in schools Law and Order and making New Jersey more affordable he hasn't responded to our requests to include him in this story he's also made it through the campaign without ever saying where he stands on key issues like abortion and his support for Donald Trump but in District 11 culture wars playing out in school districts are riling up the Republican base three Monmouth County districts have policies that require Educators to inform parents if a student comes out as transgender those districts have been sued by the Murphy Administration it's relevant in particular in District 11 because the lawsuits are going on right in that county uh and so it brings it home for voters I think a lot of this is as I've said over and over a manufactured political crisis we have 600 school districts and uh the the folks like my opponents Steve drian and his running mates are using this to try to instill fear in parents the reality as a father of a daughter uh there is nothing that is going on in our school districts that are being hidden from parents there is nothing that is being inappropriately taught in our school districts the other key issue motivating Monmouth voters offshore wind residents blaming it for the deaths of countless marine mammals despite a lack of evidence and their concern about its impact on the tourism economy orad recently dealt a blow to Democrats by pulling out of its state project and despite once profiting off a company that was vying for a piece of offshore wind denri wasted no time pinning that one on gopal saying in a post on X this weekend Vin goal is running from his voting record on wind you can't run from your incessant lies anymore this was a bad Bill that the governor signed which I voted against this race in the 11th is the most expensive in New Jersey a super pack called strengthen our state funded by the head of the state Republican party Bob hugan has spent some big bucks on mailers like this one accusing gopel of not being liberal enough for Democrats Politico says both sides have fundraised and spent about 6 million total as for how the remainder of the day will be spent after checking in with the local ibw union in wall gopal says he's hitting the phones to get every person he can reach out to vote every vote is going to matter thank you guys a win tonight would make gopal the first Democrat to be reelected to a third term here in this District but with such low voter turnout this race could come down to just a couple hundred votes in Wall Township I'm Joanna gagis NJ Spotlight news [Music]