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Progressive Candidate on Verge of Upset Victory in New Jersey Congressional Primary
A progressive candidate backed by prominent left-wing figures Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is on the cusp of pulling off a surprising upset in a Democratic congressional primary race in New Jersey.
Analilia Mejia, a progressive organizer who previously served as national political director on Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign, currently leads former Democratic Rep. Tom Malinowski by nearly 900 votes out of more than 63,000 counted in New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District. The final outcome remains uncertain as vote counting continues.
Mejia and Malinowski emerged as the frontrunners among eleven Democratic candidates seeking to fill the seat vacated by now-Governor Mikie Sherrill, who stepped down after winning the gubernatorial election in November 2025.
Political analysts are closely watching this race as a significant test in the ongoing ideological struggle between progressive and moderate factions within the Democratic Party. A victory by Mejia would represent the latest win for the party’s left wing following New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s shocking primary victory in June 2025, which sent ripples through the political establishment.
“She stands for a progressive populist economic agenda,” Rep. Ro Khanna of California emphasized in a social media post. “She is the future!”
Speaking to supporters on primary night, Mejia highlighted her vision: “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.”
Mejia has staked out clear progressive positions on several key issues. On immigration enforcement, she has called for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), declaring during a January campaign event: “I say abolish ICE now. You can’t reform it. It’s not fixable. Get it out.”
When speaking with reporters about her strong primary performance, Mejia credited her forthright stance on immigration amid public backlash against the Trump administration following fatal shootings of U.S. citizens protesting immigration operations in Minnesota.
Regarding the Supreme Court, Mejia has been equally direct, stating on her campaign website that the court “has been captured by right-wing radicals who care more about doing Trump’s bidding than the rule of law.” She supports impeachment proceedings against Justices Thomas and Alito for what she describes as “their corruption and conflicts of interest,” and advocates for term limits for newly appointed justices, a binding ethics code for federal judges, and potentially expanding the courts “if necessary to restore balance.”
On economic issues, Mejia’s platform includes canceling all student loan debt and making community colleges and trade schools tuition-free. Her “economy for everyone agenda” proposes that anyone working 40 hours weekly should earn at least $40,000 annually without paying federal taxes on that amount. Having previously helped lead New Jersey’s fight for a $15 minimum wage, she now advocates raising the national minimum to $25 per hour.
The race has been further complicated by the intervention of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), whose affiliated super PAC spent over $2.3 million opposing Malinowski despite previously supporting him. AIPAC targeted Malinowski for supporting conditions on aid to Israel, but the strategy may backfire as Mejia has taken even stronger positions on the Israel-Gaza conflict. At a January forum, she was the only candidate who agreed with human rights groups’ characterization of Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide.
Besides Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez, Mejia has received endorsements from a constellation of progressive leaders including Rep. Khanna, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and Rep. Pramilla Jayapal, the former Congressional Progressive Caucus chair.
The Progressive Change Campaign Committee celebrated Mejia’s strong showing, with co-founder Adam Green stating that voters “made clear they want Democrats who will shake up a broken political and economic system – not just be anti-Trump.”
The Democratic primary winner will face Republican Randolph Mayor Joe Hathaway in a special election scheduled for April 16. While the district leans Democratic – Sherrill won re-election by 15 points in 2024 – Republicans see a potential opening as then-Vice President Kamala Harris carried the district by only eight points in the 2024 presidential election.
The outcome holds significant implications for control of the House of Representatives, where Republicans currently maintain a razor-thin 218-214 majority, making every contested seat crucial for both parties.
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20 Comments
Mejia’s performance in this race could foreshadow larger shifts in the Democratic party’s approach to resource extraction and energy policy issues. This will be an important race to watch closely.
The battle between progressives and moderates within the party seems to be intensifying. Mejia’s stance on mining, metals, and uranium could be a key differentiator.
Close race – this progressive challenger seems to be tapping into some discontentment with the status quo among Democratic voters. Curious to see if Mejia’s policy positions on resource extraction and energy differ significantly from the establishment candidate.
The ideological fight within the party is clearly intensifying. Mejia’s performance could provide clues about the shifting priorities of Democratic primary voters.
This race is shaping up to be a key test case for the progressive wing’s influence within the Democratic party. Mejia’s views on mining, metals, and energy will be closely scrutinized.
It will be interesting to see if Mejia is able to leverage her Sanders campaign experience to boost her chances in this tight primary contest.
Mejia’s background as a progressive organizer will likely shape her views on issues like mining, metals, and energy. This race could provide insights into the party’s future direction on those topics.
The outcome of this primary will be closely watched as a barometer for progressive influence within the Democratic establishment.
Curious to see if Mejia’s progressive platform resonates with voters in this district, particularly on economic and energy issues related to mining and commodities.
This race could provide insights into how much sway the party’s left wing holds, especially on natural resource policy matters.
The battle between progressives and moderates in the Democratic party continues. Mejia’s policy platform on resource extraction and energy issues could be a key differentiator in this race.
Mejia’s ties to Sanders suggest she may take a more activist stance on mining, metals, and uranium compared to the incumbent.
Interesting to see a progressive challenger making waves in this congressional primary. Mejia’s stance on key issues like energy and natural resource policy will be worth watching closely.
Agreed, this race could have broader implications for the Democratic party’s direction on mining and extractive industry issues.
A Sanders-backed progressive taking on a moderate Democrat in this race – it’ll be telling to see which policy positions resonate more with voters, especially on issues like mining and energy.
Mejia’s stance on commodity and natural resource industries could be an important differentiator in this primary battle.
The outcome of this primary will be a useful barometer for the strength of progressive sentiment, especially on economic and energy policy issues. Mejia’s background with Sanders’ campaign suggests she may take a more activist stance.
It will be intriguing to see how Mejia positions herself on topics like mining, metals, and uranium compared to the incumbent.
This is an interesting test case for progressive vs. moderate Democrats. Mejia’s positions on mining, metals, and uranium could be an important factor in the outcome.
The ideological divide within the party is certainly on full display in this closely watched primary contest.