Republican Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) will be heading back to Washington to begin his third term after defeating Democratic challenger Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula.

Lance won 58 percent of the vote, with Chivukula capturing just 39 percent.

Many believed the race was Lance's to lose, as the 7th Congressional district spans a largely Republican territory that includes Hunterdon, Middlesex, Somerset, and Union counties as well as parts of Morris. 

Throughout his campaign, Lance stressed the need for reform to President Barack Obama's Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. He has also opposed the president's stimulus package.

Locally, Lance has been an advocate for towns that faced devastation in the wake of Hurricane Irene. He has visited flood-prone towns such as Cranford and Springfield to pledge his support for regional flood control efforts.

In 2008, Lance defeated Assemblywoman Linda Stender by a margin of 25,833 votes to become Congressman. In 2010, the lawmaker took on Democratic nominee Ed Potosnak, a science teacher, and won by a vote of 104,642 to 71,486.