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An expected mass exodus from the New Jersey Legislature was formally set it motion Monday as the deadline arrived for Democrats and Republicans to file their candidacy for this years primary elections while another, stunning development was finalized.

Republican state Sen. Ed Durr, the once-little-known truck driver who made national headlines with a shocking upset over then-Senate President Stephen Sweeney two years ago, will face a GOP primary challenge from his former running mate in South Jerseys battleground 3rd legislative district.

State Assemblywoman Beth Sawyer, who joined Durr on a ticket in 2021 that also unseated Sweeneys two Democratic incumbent Assembly colleagues in a district that has gradually grown more red, is now running an off-the-line campaign to deny Durr the Republican nomination for a second term in the states June 6 primary.

It will be one of a few closely watched primaries as all 120 seats in the Legislature the body in Trenton that crafts New Jerseys laws and passes the state budget are on the ballot, slightly altered, in a redistricting year. In all, 258 people 135 Democrats and 123 Republicans filed petitions to run by Mondays 4 p.m. deadline.

READ THE FULL LIST OF SENATE PRIMARY CANDIDATES HERE

READ THE FULL LIST OF ASSEMBLY PRIMARY CANDIDATES HERE

Durr, one of the most conservative members of the Democratic-led Legislature, originally seemed headed for a primary against Salem County Commissioner Mickey Ostrum. But Ostrom recently dropped out after Durr secured party support in all three of the districts counties.

Sawyer, though, is among a group of Republicans who have grown disenchanted with Durr as Democrats gun to regain those seats. The district mates have reportedly feuded since taking office together.

While it was rumored she might wage a primary bid against Durr in the Legislatures upper chamber which she herself denied in December Sawyer initially sought to run again for her Assembly seat on Ostrums ticket. That scenario has flipped.

The results of last years election demonstrated that candidates do matter, Sawyer said in a statement Monday, apparently referencing how Republicans didnt perform as expected in the 2022 midterm elections, highlighting division in the GOP.

Ed Durr has proven himself unsuitable for office and will not be re-elected, she added. If we let him run in November, he will pull the entire Republican ticket down with him. I have too much invested in this community to allow that to happen. I am the only candidate who can defeat the Democrats.

Durr told NJ Advance Media on Monday he is focused on doing the things I need to do for the people who elected me and that hes grateful and happy to receive party support.

My team and I look forward to getting out on the campaign trail speaking to our constituents and earning their vote, again, he added.

The state redraws its legislative districts after a new U.S. Census every 10 years, though this years was delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Democrats are trying to keep control of both the Senate and Assembly under the new map, while Republicans, two years after gaining seven seats across the Legislature, are aiming to take a least one chamber for the first time in two decades.

Like the 3rd district, there will also be a Republican primary in the neighboring and similarly competitive 4th, as the party seeks to flip the Senate seat that currently belongs to Democrat Fred Madden. Two candidates are running for the GOP nod: Gloucester County Commissioner Nicholas DeSilvio, who received party support in Camden and Gloucester counties, and former Washington Township Councilman Chris DelBorrello, who has party backing in Atlantic County.

Assemblyman Paul Moriarty is running unopposed for the Democratic nomination in that district, which also grew slightly more Republican in redistricting.

Meanwhile, a pair of veteran Essex County Democrats, state Sens. Richard Codey and Nia Gill, will both vie for their partys nod in North Jerseys 27th district after redistricting shifted Gill into that area. Whoever wins is likely to take Novembers general election, too, since the district is heavily Democratic.

Overall, this will be an election year of change. At least 22 sitting lawmakers will be gone come January, when the next Legislature is sworn in, either by retiring, getting squeezed out by redistricting, or seeking offices outside of the Statehouse. Another six are running to move up from the Assembly to the Senate.

That represents nearly a quarter of the Legislatures members, guaranteeing the biggest turnover and biggest crop of newcomers in Trenton since 2007.

Were gonna see a big new class, said Micah Rasmussen, director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University. Thats gonna mean a learning curve. And it will mean those who do have the institutional knowledge will have an advantage.

Thats in part because of redistricting, with some lawmakers choosing to leave because they were placed in a different district, their district became more competitive, or party leaders supported another candidate they believe has a better shot of winning.

This years number of departing lawmakers is higher than those in the states previous two redistricting cycles. In 2011, 14 either retired or sought another office. In 2001, the number was 16.

Rasmussen said a number of legislators are set to leave now because of age which he said is similar to the 2007 shakeup or family reasons.

Ben Dworkin, director of Rowan Universitys Institute for Public Policy and Citizenship, said you always expect there to be some new faces when you have a new map.

I think its always a good thing, Dworkin said. Youre losing a certain amount of experience, but turnover can also be healthy.

Experts say its possible these elections could also help make the Legislature more representative of New Jerseys diverse population. Currently, its largely white, male, and over 50 despite women making up 51% of the states population and white people making up 55%.

The new legislative map was the result of a rare redistricting compromise. Democrats see a path to keep their grip on both the 40-member Senate and 80-member Assembly, while Republicans see a shot to gain more ground in South Jersey where the 4th district, like the 3rd, has become more red and possibly elsewhere.

As for the contentious primaries? Each of the Senate contenders in the 3rd, 4th, and 27th districts have their own running mates seeking Assembly seats, as well.

While Sawyer ditched Durrs ticket in the 3rd, Durrs other running mate from the last election, Assemblywoman Bethanne McCarthy Patrick, is sticking with him. Hopewell Township Committeeman Thomas Tedesco has replaced Sawyer on Durrs slate.

Sawyer is running with one Assembly candidate: Joseph Collins Jr., the nephew of former Assembly Speaker Jack Collins. Sawyer said she will support McCarthy Patrick for the districts other Assembly seat.

On the Democratic side, Sweeney declined to run this year to regain his former Senate seat from Durr.

Instead, former Assemblyman John Burzichelli, a veteran lawmaker who was ousted alongside Sweeney by Durrs slate two years ago, is running for the Democratic nod. Burzichelli will face Mario DeSantis, a teacher, in the partys primary.

Sweeney is still expected to run for governor in 2025.

Rasmussen said the Durr-Sawyer race is one of those situations where if youre a local Republican, this is your time to capitalize on disarray on the other side.

But you cant do that because youve got disarray on your side, too, he added.

About an hour north, Codey, a former governor and the longest-serving legislator in New Jersey history, has the support of the local Democratic Party in the 27th district. He has been a lawmaker since 1974.

But hell face a primary challenge from Gill, whose hometown of Montclair was put into Codeys district. She has been a lawmaker since 1994.

Anytime you have two established incumbents facing off against each other, its going to be a very interesting race, Dworkin said. In these kinds of intra-party fights, it often comes down to who has more friends.

Whoever loses the Durr-Sawyer and Codey-Gill races will both be ousted from the Senate.

Though Sawyer and Gill are also incumbents, theyre likely to be the underdogs in their races. Its difficult in New Jersey to win a primary without your partys endorsement, known as the county line.

At the same time, former Assemblyman Craig Stanley, a Newark Democrat, will attempt a comeback to the Legislature 15 years after leaving office by running his own off-the-line campaign for Assembly in the 27th district.

In North Jerseys redrawn 25th district, Republican incumbents Brian Bergen and Jay Webber will have a primary challenge from former Assemblywoman Bettylou DeCroce, who is trying to return to the chamber two years after being bounced from office.

One other Senate race of note: Former Congressman Michael Pappas, a Republican, launched a rematch against Sen. Andrew Zwicker, D-Middlesex, in Central Jerseys competitive 16th district. Pappas lost to Zwicker in 2021.

In all, 17 lawmakers seven in the Senate, 10 in the Assembly are not running for re-election and will instead retire:

Three lawmakers are seeking a post outside of Trenton:

(Assemblyman Ralph Caputo, D-Essex, was appointed last week to the Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield board or directors.)

Six lawmakers are running to move from the Assembly up to the Senate:

All other incumbents are seeking another term.

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Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him at @johnsb01.

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Truck driver who scored huge upset over top N.J. Democrat in 2021 faces GOP primary challenge - NJ.com