Progressive Activist Mejia Defeats Ex-Congressman Malinowski in New Jersey Special Election Primary

Analilia Mejia, a progressive activist and former political director for Sen. Bernie Sanders, has emerged victorious in New Jersey’s crowded Democratic primary for a U.S. House special election after former congressman Tom Malinowski conceded on Tuesday.

The closely watched race in New Jersey’s suburban 11th district has attracted significant national attention as it represents a potential shift in Democratic strategy ahead of this year’s critical midterm elections. Mejia’s victory signals that progressive candidates may be viable even in traditionally moderate suburban districts.

“In this moment, what we want are real representatives: real representatives who will listen to the people, who will ask questions about what is keeping you up at night, who will prioritize your interest over special interests,” Mejia said during a Tuesday news conference celebrating her narrow election night lead.

The special election will fill the seat vacated when Mikie Sherrill stepped down to become New Jersey’s governor. Sherrill had represented the district covering parts of Essex, Morris and Passaic counties—areas including some of New York City’s wealthier suburbs—for four terms after her initial election in 2018.

A significant storyline in the primary involved the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), whose affiliated super PAC poured substantial resources into the race to defeat Malinowski after he questioned unconditional aid to Israel. This intervention appears to have backfired spectacularly.

“The outcome of this race cannot be understood without taking into account the massive flood of dark money that AIPAC spent on dishonest ads during the last three weeks,” Malinowski said in his concession statement. Despite his frustration with the group’s tactics, he has thrown his support behind Mejia.

Mejia, who had stated she believes Israel committed genocide in Gaza, acknowledged AIPAC’s influence on the race but rejected the notion that their involvement determined the outcome. “What they didn’t do was win this for us. How we won—it was people power,” she said.

The race was exceptionally close, with some mail-in ballots still being processed. In fact, the Democratic National Committee prematurely congratulated Malinowski on election night before issuing a corrected statement backing Mejia on Tuesday, calling her “a fighter” while dismissing her Republican opponent as “a spineless Trump lackey.”

The 48-year-old Mejia brings significant political experience to the race. As former director of the Working Families Alliance in New Jersey, she has long advocated for progressive causes. Her campaign received endorsements from prominent progressive figures including Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.

During the Biden administration, Mejia served as deputy director of the Labor Department’s Women’s Bureau, further building her credentials within Democratic circles.

Matt Bennett, co-founder of the centrist Democratic organization Third Way, expressed concern about Mejia’s victory potentially pushing the party too far left before the midterms. “This idea that there’s a demand either among the Democratic electorate, primary or the general electorate for radical candidates, is baloney,” he said. “It’s just not true.”

The Democratic primary field included other prominent candidates such as Brendan Gill, an elected commissioner in Essex County, and Tahesha Way, who served as lieutenant governor and secretary of state until last month.

Mejia will face Republican Joe Hathaway, who ran unopposed in his primary, in the special general election scheduled for April 16. The outcome will determine who serves the remainder of Sherrill’s term until January 2025. A regular primary on June 2 and general election on November 3 will determine who represents the district in the next full term.

Republicans are already targeting Mejia, with National Republican Congressional Committee spokesperson Maureen O’Toole claiming she wants to “turn New Jersey into a socialist hellscape.”

The district has been evolving politically, having historically leaned Republican before shifting during former President Donald Trump’s first term, when Sherrill flipped the seat in 2018.