Analilia Mejia, backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, held a slim 486-vote lead over former Rep. Tom Malinowski in the Democratic primary for New Jersey's 11th District as counting continued. Mejia, a progressive organizer and Sanders' 2020 political director, has campaigned on sweeping reforms and criticized ICE. Malinowski, an Obama administration alum and former congressman, faced attack ads tied to his stance on conditions for Israel aid and was prematurely congratulated by the DNC on primary night. The Democratic nominee will meet Republican Joe Hathaway in an April 16 special election, a race that could affect control of the narrowly divided U.S. House.
Ballot Box Surprise: Sanders- and AOC-Backed Progressive Nears Upset In New Jersey Democratic Primary
Ballot box shocker: Progressive backed by Sanders, AOC on verge of upset in Dem congressional primary
A progressive challenger supported by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez held a narrow lead as votes continued to be counted in the Democratic primary for New Jersey's 11th Congressional District.
Analilia Mejia, a progressive organizer and former political director for Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign, led former Rep. Tom Malinowski by 486 votes out of more than 61,000 ballots tallied, with final results still pending. The primary was to choose the Democratic nominee to fill the seat vacated when Mikie Sherrill stepped down after winning New Jersey's gubernatorial election.
Congressional candidate Analilia Mejia is seen speaking to supporters and members of the media at Paper Plane Coffee Co. in Montclair, N.J. Mejia is one of 11 Democrats vying to fill the House seat vacated by now-Gov. Mikie Sherrill.(Getty Images)
Mejia and Malinowski emerged from a crowded field of 11 Democrats as the top two contenders. At a Friday news conference, Mejia said,
"I do think that we have emerged victorious, but I want to first make sure that every voter, every voter's voice is heard."
The race drew national attention as a litmus test in the party's internal debate between progressive activists and more centrist, establishment Democrats. A win for Mejia would represent another high-profile victory for the party's left flank.
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill stepped down from her seat in the House of Representatives in November, after winning the Garden State's gubernatorial election.
Campaign Dynamics
Mejia has campaigned on bold reform themes and criticized federal immigration enforcement, saying Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) "is completely overreaching." She told supporters on primary night, "We have to rebuild our party, we have to rebuild what is happening in our nation. We have to reclaim our democracy. We know that our economy is rigged to suit the billionaires."
Malinowski, who served as an assistant secretary of state in the Obama administration and represented a neighboring New Jersey district from 2018 to 2022, entered the contest as the perceived front-runner. His campaign faced attack ads from a group affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) over his statements supporting conditions on aid to Israel.
Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia stepped down from her seat in Congress in early January, a year before her term ended.
In a notable misstep on election night, the Democratic National Committee prematurely emailed congratulations to Malinowski after early tallies, a message that circulated before later counts put Mejia ahead. Mejia later shared on social media a reference to the famous erroneous 1948 "Dewey Defeats Truman" headline after taking a slim lead.
What Comes Next
The Democratic nominee will face Republican Randolph Mayor Joe Hathaway, the only Republican to file for the special election scheduled for April 16. Hathaway is widely considered a long shot in the district, which leans Democratic: Mikie Sherrill won the district by roughly 15 points in her 2024 re-election, although then-Vice President Kamala Harris carried the district by a narrower margin in the 2024 presidential race.
Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa of California, who represented a district in the northeastern portion of the state, died in early January.
The outcome has implications for control of the U.S. House. Republicans currently hold a narrow 218-214 majority, and a few other special elections could shift that balance. A March 10 special election is set in Georgia's 14th Congressional District to replace Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene; the field there is crowded and, under Georgia law, any contest without a majority winner will go to an April 7 runoff. There is also a vacant seat in California's 1st District following the death of Rep. Doug LaMalfa, with a primary on June 2 and a special general election on Aug. 4.
As final tallies and any recounts or certification steps proceed, the New Jersey primary remains a closely watched indicator of the party's ideological currents heading into upcoming midterm and special elections.
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