Far-left activist Analilia Mejia has won a closely watched Democratic primary in New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District, defeating a former congressman and several prominent state Democrats in a narrow, multi-candidate race.
The Associated Press projected Mejia the winner Thursday, one week after the Feb. 5 special primary election. With more than 95% of the vote counted, Mejia secured 29.3%, edging out former Rep. Tom Malinowski, who received 27.6%. Former New Jersey Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way placed third with 17.4%, followed by Essex County Commissioner Brendan Gill at 14.4%.
Mejia is now heavily favored in the April 16 special general election against Republican nominee Joe Hathaway in the Democratic-leaning 11th District. The district voted for former Vice President Kamala Harris by nine percentage points in 2024, underscoring Democrats’ structural advantage heading into the general contest.
Progressive Platform and National Backing
Mejia, who previously served as national political director for Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign, ran on a platform aligned with the party’s progressive wing. During the primary, she highlighted endorsements from Sanders as well as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, and Rep. Maxwell Frost.
In late January, Mejia drew national attention after leading a crowd in chants of “Abolish ICE,” declaring, “You can’t reform that.” She framed her candidacy as a response to what she described as rising authoritarianism and economic insecurity, arguing that Democrats must send unapologetically progressive lawmakers to Washington.
“In a moment of rising authoritarianism, of economic insecurity, of state-sanctioned violence, any old blue just won’t do,” Mejia said during the campaign. “If you send ‘weak sauce’ to Congress, we will get ‘weak sauce’ back.”
A Seat Opened by a Gubernatorial Win
The 11th District seat became vacant after Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill resigned on Nov. 20, 2025, following her election as New Jersey’s governor. Sherrill succeeded Gov. Phil Murphy when she was sworn in on Jan. 20.
Sherrill endorsed Mejia after Malinowski conceded the race Tuesday and backed Mejia for the April general election. Malinowski said it was “essential that we send a Democrat to Washington to fill this seat, not a rubber stamp for [President Donald] Trump.”
Malinowski previously represented New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District from 2019 to 2023 before losing a 2022 reelection bid to Rep. Tom Kean Jr.. His attempted political comeback in the 11th District drew endorsements from Sen. Andy Kim and Reps. Jamie Raskin and Jason Crow, but ultimately fell short.
A Chaotic Vote Count
Although Mejia led on election night, the race remained uncalled for days as mail-in ballots were tabulated. Decision Desk HQ initially projected Malinowski the winner on Feb. 5 before retracting its call later that evening, citing late-reporting precincts that shifted decisively toward Mejia. The New Jersey Globe similarly retracted an early call for Malinowski.
The Associated Press formally called the race Thursday evening, while CNN projected Mejia’s victory earlier in the week.
What Comes Next
Mejia’s immediate focus will be the April 16 special general election. If elected, she would serve out the remainder of Sherrill’s term. However, she must still compete in a June primary to secure the Democratic nomination for a full two-year term in November. Tahesha Way, one of her special election primary opponents, is reportedly considering another bid.
The outcome signals continued strength for progressive candidates in Democratic primaries, particularly in safely blue districts, even when facing better-known and rivals with more establishment backing.
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