Tens of thousands of New Jersey voters joined the country's two major parties in time for primary votes Tuesday.

Voter registration numbers from the state Division of Elections reveal 74,000 more Democrats and 39,000 more Republicans since the 2016 general election.

They turned out to select candidates for a number of races around the state.

The highest profile race involved Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez, who defeated a primary challenge from Lisa McCormick to earn the chance to defend his Senate seat in November. 

Menendez will face Republican Bob Hugin, who handily defeated Brian Goldberg in the GOP primary. Hugin will now look to become the first Republican senator from New Jersey since 1982.

In New Jersey's Second District, voters will see new leadership for the first time in 24 years with Rep. Frank LoBiondo retiring. 

Democrat Jeff Van Drew, who has represented part of the district in the state Senate for more than a decade won, his party's primary tonight. On the Republican side, Seth Grossman won.

In the Seventh District, Republican Rep. Leonard Lance fended off two primary challengers -- Lindsay Brown and Raafat Barsoom. He will face Democrat Tom Malinowski, who also won a three-way race.

And in the 11th District, where Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen is retiring, Republicans saw a close race that Jay Webber won. Mikie Sherrill won the Democratic primary by a wide margin over four other candidates.