Republican incumbents cruised to re-election Tuesday in southern Ocean County as District 9 legislators handily defeated their Democratic challengers.

Ocean County voters also have returned Freeholder Director Joseph Vicari to his post over Democratic challenger Michelle Rosen of Waretown.

Republican Sen. Christopher Connors, a 21-year veteran of the Legislature, was handily defeating former Barnegat Township Committeewoman Dorothy Ryan as of 10:45 p.m., with just one voting district left to report results.

Connors' incumbent running-mates, Brian Rumpf and DiAnne Gove, will return to the General Assembly over challengers Carla Kearney and Bradley Billhimer.

The District 9 Republicans tallied nearly 2-1 leads over their challengers.

Connors captured at least 26,628 Ocean County votes to Ryan's 13,745. Rumpf and Gove boasted 25,731 and 24,798 votes, respectively, over Kearney and Billhimer's 13,968 and 13,761 votes.

Vicari captured more than 65 percent of the vote with 99 percent of districts reporting results, easily defeating Rosen, 67,880 votes to 35,961.

Legislative District 9 includes the following municipalities: Barnegat Light; Barnegat; Bass River; Beach Haven; Beachwood; Berkeley; Eagleswood; Galloway; Harvey Cedars; Lacey; Little Egg Harbor; Long Beach; Ocean Gate; Ocean Township; Pine Beach; Port Republic; Seaside Park; Ship Bottom; South Toms River; Stafford; Surf City; Tabernacle; Tuckerton; and Washington Township.

All results are unofficial until certified by the Board of Elections.