Analilia Mejia emerged as the Democratic nominee for New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District after a closely contested primary that remained uncertain for several days. On Tuesday morning, former U.S. Representative Tom Malinowski placed a phone call to congratulate Mejia and conceded the race, which had been too close to call since the primary vote on Thursday.
Mejia, who served as national political director for U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign, led Malinowski by nearly 900 votes in the most recent Tuesday morning tally. Her narrow margin over Malinowski came out of a crowded Democratic field of 11 candidates vying to fill the seat left vacant by Mikie Sherrill, a moderate Democrat who stepped down from the U.S. House after being elected governor in November.
Running as a progressive outsider, Mejia finished first among the Democratic contenders and now becomes the favorite to win the special election on April 16. The Republican nominee for that contest is Randolph Township Councilman Joe Hathaway, who secured his party’s nod unopposed. The winner of the April special election will serve the remainder of Sherrill’s term through early 2027.
Tom Malinowski issued a public statement after conceding that emphasized the importance of retaining the seat for Democrats in Washington. "It is essential that we send a Democrat to Washington to fill this seat, not a rubber stamp for (President Donald) Trump," he said. He added praise for his opponent’s campaign, saying, "Analilia deserves unequivocal praise and credit for running a positive campaign and for inspiring so many voters on Election Day."
The 11th District has tilted Democratic in recent national voting. Former Vice President Kamala Harris carried the district in the 2024 presidential election by nearly nine percentage points, a statistic that contributes to Mejia’s status as the favored candidate heading into the special election.
Political dynamics in the House of Representatives amplify the broader significance of the New Jersey contest. House Republicans currently hold a 218-214 majority, which leaves them the capacity to lose only one vote if Democrats present united opposition to legislation. A Democratic victory in the New Jersey special election would reduce the Republican margin by one vote, narrowing their working majority.
Meanwhile, the article notes that Republicans are expected to be favored in two upcoming special elections that could offset any Democratic pickup. Those contests are scheduled for March 10 in Georgia and August 4 in California. If Republicans prevail in those races, their majority in the House would grow by two seats.
Mejia drew endorsements from prominent progressive figures on Capitol Hill, including Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The primary also saw significant outside spending against Malinowski: a pro-Israel super PAC spent $2.3 million opposing his candidacy. Malinowski had previously stated he would not rule out placing conditions on foreign aid to Israel.
Other notable contenders in the Democratic primary included former Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way and Essex County Commissioner Brendan Gill. Should Mejia prevail in the April special election, she will again appear on the ballot for the state’s June 2 primary as she seeks the Democratic nomination to run for a full two-year term in the general election.
The pro-Israel super PAC that targeted Malinowski, United Democracy Project, characterized the primary result as "an anticipated possibility" and indicated it would increase spending to oppose Mejia in the June primary for the full term. "Our focus remains on who will serve the next full term in Congress," the group said in a statement.
The article leaves open the outcome of the June primary and the potential effects of additional outside spending. It also outlines the immediate calendar for the vacancy: the April special election to fill the remainder of the term, followed by the June primary to determine the nominee for the November general election for the full term.