Democrat Analilia Mejia, a grassroots organizer and co-director of the Center for Popular Democracy, is headed back to Washington.
Mejia won the special election on Thursday to fill the seat vacated by Gov. Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey’s congressional district, and will occupy the seat until Jan. 3, 2027.
Early polling showed Mejia in the lead with a 17-point margin, and Mejia carried that success into election day.
The Associated Press called the race around 8:30 p.m. with 41% of the votes in. Mejia won by a landslide with a 41-point margin.
New Jersey, a reliably Democratic state, shifted to the right during last year’s presidential election, with five previously Democratic counties flipping red in support of President Donald Trump despite Kamala Harris winning the state. Mikie Sherrill’s November gubernatorial victory signaled a shift back left.
In the 11th district, Democrats outnumber Republicans by 65,000, according to the state’s Department of Elections, positioning Mejia as the favored winner early on.
Her win could have national implications, as Republicans hold a slim majority—218 Republicans to 213 Democrats with one Independent and four vacancies — meaning even a single seat could help determine control of the chamber.
While the race carries national weight, Mejia centered her campaign on issues closer to home: affordability and advocating for working families.
In a biography posted to her campaign site, Mejia said she is running for Congress because “any one of us has the power to change the trajectory of someone else’s life—if we listen, if we care, and if we choose to fight for people we may never meet.”
As director of the New Jersey Working Family Alliance, Mejia led efforts to secure a $15 minimum wage and paid sick leave.
The daughter of Colombian and Dominican immigrants and the mother of two children, Mejia said she plans to continue that fight in Washington.
“Working families need a brawler in Washington,” she said on her campaign website. “Someone who knows what struggle feels like and who won’t turn away from the chaos while New Jersey families are being pushed to the brink.”
Mejia also previously served as the national political director for Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign and in the Department of Labor under President Joe Biden.
Mejia’s next challenge is the June 2 primary, where she will compete for a seat in the House for a two-year term beginning Jan. 3, 2027. Mejia will face three opponents for the Democratic party’s nomination: Donald Cresitello of Morristown, Joseph Lewis II of Montville and Justin Strickland of Chatham.
Megan Pitt is the head editor of The Setonian’s News section. She can be reached at megan.pitt@student.shu.edu.
