WEST LONG BRANCH -- Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, who has spent the last eight years as Gov. Chris Christie's second-in-command and now vows to slash the state's notoriously high property taxes, easily defeated four opponents Tuesday to secure the Republican nomination to succeed Christie as New Jersey's governor.
The Associated Press called it for Guadagno about an hour and 20 minutes after the polls closed.
Now, Guadagno, a 58-year-old Monmouth Beach resident, will battle former U.S. ambassador to Germany Phil Murphy in the Nov. 7 general election. Murphy bested five rivals to emerge the winner of Tuesday's Democratic primary.
"The next governor has come down to two very different people," Guadagno said in her victory speech at her campaign headquarters in West Long Branch. "The primaries have shown my opponent shows the values of Wall Street. I represent the values of Main Street."
Guadagno, the front-runner heading into the night, staved off a challenge from state Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli to take the GOP primary. She also downed three other rivals: Nutley Commissioner Steven Rogers, small business owner Joseph Rullo, and aerospace engineer Hirsh Singh.
With 98 percent of the vote recorded Tuesday night, Guadagno had 111,901 votes (47 percent), followed by Ciattatelli with 74,328 (31 percent), Singh with 23,326 (10 percent), Rullo 15,556 (7 percent), and Rogers 13,919 (6 percent), according to the AP.
Still, political experts predict Guadagno will face a steep climb to take over for Christie, a term-limited Republican who has less than eight months left in his final term.
She will have to overcome the fact that the outgoing governor's approval ratings have plummeted to historic lows in recent months. And she is running in a state where registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans nearly 2-to-1.
In addition, New Jersey is one of only two states with a governor's race this year, along with Virginia. And they are the first gubernatorial elections to be held since President Donald Trump took office in January. Like Christie, Trump, a fellow Republican, is deeply unpopular among voters in the Garden State.
"I'm running for governor based on my values, based on my record, and based on my principles," Guadagno said in her victory speech in West Long Branch. "My principles are Main Street principles."
Guadagno, a former Monmouth County sheriff and ex-federal prosecutor, became the state's first lieutenant governor when she was elected with Christie in 2009.
Since then, she has kept a relatively low profile, often appearing at ribbon-cuttings, and rarely speaking to the press as Christie commanded the spotlight. But as the state government's liaison to the business community, Guadagno also forged a strong relationship with business leaders throughout the Garden State.
In addition, Guadagno often stepped into the governor's role when Christie hit the road repeatedly, first as chairman of the Republican Governors Association and then as a 2016 presidential candidate.
That was supposed to set her up as Christie's heir apparent. But his popularity with voters tanked, and soon Guadagno was distancing herself from Christie, publicly disagreeing with him on his decision to hike the state's gas tax last year and then on his $300 million plan to renovate the Statehouse.
Christie declined to endorse any GOP candidate during the primary, saying he wanted to stay neutral. But he revealed Tuesday he voted for Guadagno.
"I've worked with her for eight years, and I believe that she's the best person in the Republican primary to represent the party in the fall and to retain the governorship," Christie said.
Guadagno faced unexpected pressure from Ciattarelli, a little-known six-year lawmaker from Somerset County and a certified public accountant who once ran his own medical publishing company. The two split support from county GOP organizations across the state and sparred over the best way to lower property taxes.
Guadagno touted a plan called a "circuit breaker," which would limit the amount homeowners pay in the school portion of their tax bill to 5 percent of their annual income. Those with tax bills above the 5 percent mark would be credited up to $3,000.
But critics noted that the plan would cost $1.5 billion. Guadagno said she'd pay for it partially through savings she'd uncover under a full audit of the state government.
On Tuesday, she made a vow if she is elected and does not lower property taxes.
"I will not run for re-election if I do not keep that promise," Guadagno said.
Now, Guadagno will face Murphy, a multimillionaire former Goldman Sachs executive who spent more than $20 million in the Democratic primary -- nearly five times as much as the other 10 major-party candidates combined. By comparison, Guadango spent $2 million.
But spending in the general election may not be as lopsided. Murphy has agreed to participate in the state's matching funds program, which would limit him to spending $13.8 million in the general election.
Guadagno on Tuesday also warned that Murphy will increase taxes. He has proposed raising the income tax on wealthy residents.
"If we elect Phil Murphy governor of the State of New Jersey, the only person who will be able to live in the State of New Jersey will be Phil Murphy," Guadagno said.
Guadagno will also have the challenge of walking the tightrope involving Trump, whom Murphy has made a focal point of his campaign. On Tuesday, Guadagno appeared to distance herself from the president, without mentioning him by name, promising to help residents receive health care and fight for everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation.
Ciattarelli, meanwhile, will have to leave the Assembly after three terms because state law prohibits anyone from running for two offices in the same year.
But Ciattarelli, a relatively moderate Republican, has not ruled out running for another position in the future. Some experts say he could be poised for another run at the governor's office in 2021, should Murphy win in November.
Claude Brodesser-Akner may be reached at cbrodesser@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ClaudeBrodesser. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.