Progressive activist and Democratic Socialist Analilia Mejia, who was endorsed by Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in the Democratic primary, soundly defeated Republican Joe Hathaway in a special election to represent the 11th
Congressional District from New Jersey, delivering a victory for Democrats in the runup to this fall’s midterm elections.
The Associated Press called the race just seven minutes after polls closed. Mejia will fill the seat, vacated by Gov. Mikie Sherrill after Sherrill won the governorship in November, until Jan. 3, 2027.
When Democrat Mikie Sherrill became New Jersey’s first Democratic woman to be elected Governor she vacated her congressional seat representing a politically competitive, suburban district in the northern part of the state. As a result a special primary election was held on February 5 for Democrats to choose a candidate to fill out the remainder of Mikie Sherrill’s two-year term in office.
Former Congressman Tom Malinowski, a moderate Democrat, was the heavy favorite going into the primary election, with his high name recognition, millions of dollars at his disposal, along
with endorsements from many of the state’s Democratic leadership.
Progressive and Socialist Democrats, however, were united in support of Analilia Mejia who was endorsed by Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. A few days before the election Sanders came to New Jersey for a rally where he appeared with Mejia for a public show of support.
An activist from Glen Ridge, New Jersey, Mejia was national political director for Sanders’ 2020 presidential bid, and is also the former executive director of the New Jersey Working Families Alliance. Mejia took aim at corporate greed and authoritarianism. Growing up as the daughter of immigrants who fled political and economic violence, Mejia relied on free health clinics and food pantries, and sometimes went without meals, she said. She hears similar stories of economic struggle from her neighbors now, she added.
“This world doesn’t feel built to represent, to allow us all to thrive. This world, our economy, our democracy, seems captured
by big money, by oligarchs, by people who care more about adding another zero to their offshore bank account or trading in stocks when they shouldn’t be,” she said.
As results started to come in on the evening of February 5, it appeared that Malinowski would win easily and several media outlets had already called the race for him to win. However, later in the evening, a political shock wave was about to hit as the gap between Malinowski and Mejia began to close significantly.
When it became apparent that Mejia might pull off one of the biggest upsets in the history of New Jersey politics after taking a narrow lead over Malinowski, the same media outlets that called the race retracted their decisions. As a result the race became too close to call as it became necessary to postpone a decision until all ballots including absentee, provisional and military were finally counted.
After several days of counting paper ballots, Mejia increased her lead as it became apparent that the remaining ballots came from working class districts where Mejia had performed well. As a result Tom Malinowski conceded the race to Mejia.
Mejia’s stunning victory against a former representative with millions of dollars from wealthy donors and political action committees, as well as endorsements from established Democratic and union leaders, may have been the biggest political upset in a Democratic primary for Congress since Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez defeated her incumbent opponent.
Mejia, the former head of the state’s Working Families Party and the national political director for Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential run, campaigned by advocating for policies that benefit working, middle class families like universal health care and raising the minimum wage.
She defeated 10 other Democrats in February’s special primary, including former Rep. Tom Malinowski, a result that stunned many political observers. Unlike her opponents in the Democratic primary, Mejia was the only candidate to oppose Israel’s genocide in Gaza and call for an immediate end to American military support for Israel.
Both Mejia and her Republican opponent Joe Hathaway are vying again to win election to the 11th District in November, for the two-year term that begins in January. The district, which includes parts of Essex, Morris, and Passaic counties, was formerly a Republican stronghold until Mikie Sherrill flipped it for Democrats in 2018.
Mejia is being challenged by three Democrats in June’s regular primary, while Hathaway is running unchallenged on the GOP side. She will be the first Latina to represent the 11th District in
Congress, and only the second Latina to represent New Jersey in D.C.
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