Malinowski Acknowledges Defeat to Mejia in New Jersey Democratic Primary
Analilia Mejia, co-executive director of the Center for Popular Democracy, addressed supporters outside the U.S. Capitol on April 19, 2023, marking a significant moment in her political journey.
On Tuesday, Tom Malinowski, the former congressman, officially conceded to Mejia in a closely monitored Democratic primary aimed at filling the U.S. House seat left vacant by New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill. "I congratulate Analilia Mejia on her hard-won victory in the NJ-11 special primary. I look forward to supporting her in the April general election," he stated.
As of now, the Associated Press has yet to declare a winner in the race. Mejia held a slight lead as polls closed last Thursday, although several mail-in ballots are still pending count.
The Democratic nominee will face Joe Hathaway, the mayor of Randolph Township and the sole Republican candidate, in the upcoming special general election. Sherrill resigned shortly after her gubernatorial victory last November.
This primary contest is one of the early elections in the 2026 midterm cycle, where Democrats aim to leverage voter discontent with President Trump's policies. Following losses in the White House and Senate in 2024, the party rebounded with notable wins in special elections and a surge of support during the November 2025 general election, highlighted by Sherrill's decisive victory.
Malinowski's campaign received backing from New Jersey Senator Andy Kim, who emphasized the former congressman's experience. "Tom Malinowski knows the House of Representatives. He knows Congress. He knows New Jersey," Kim asserted in a video message. "He knows how to stand up to Donald Trump, and that's what I need right now as a partner in the Capitol."
Previously representing a neighboring congressional district from 2018 to 2022, Malinowski lost his seat to Republican Thomas Kean Jr. after redistricting shifted more Republican voters into his area.
Micah Rasmussen, director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University, noted that Malinowski's congressional experience played a crucial role leading up to this race. "With a short runway of a special election—name recognition, money, experience—all can matter," he explained.
However, Mejia, who leads the New Jersey Working Families Alliance, garnered endorsements from several progressive figures and organizations, including independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Locally, she was endorsed by Ras Baraka, Newark's mayor.
"In a moment of rising authoritarianism, economic insecurity, and state-sanctioned violence, any old blue just won't do," Mejia declared alongside Sanders. "If you send weak sauce to Congress, we will get weak sauce back."
Mejia has also advocated for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). "You can't reform that. It's not fixable," she stated at a January event at William Paterson University. "Get it out. Kick it over. It is done. Forget it."
The topic of immigration enforcement dominated discussions among candidates during the primary, especially following recent fatal shootings involving federal agents in Minnesota.
A recent NPR/PBS News/Marist poll revealed that 65% of Americans believe ICE has "gone too far" in enforcing immigration laws, with increasing numbers of independents and Democrats echoing this sentiment.
Malinowski faced criticism from a super PAC linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) regarding his 2019 vote on a bipartisan Department of Homeland Security funding bill. Despite this, he has been vocal about opposing the Trump administration's immigration policies and has expressed a desire to "defund ICE's brutality."
Earlier this month, Patrick Dorton, a spokesperson for the super PAC United Democracy Project, remarked that Malinowski's stance on conditioning aid to Israel was not aligned with pro-Israel positions.
In his concession statement, Malinowski condemned the "massive flood of dark money that AIPAC spent on dishonest ads during the last three weeks," reaffirming his support for Israel as a "democratic and Jewish state."
In response, AIPAC spokesperson Deryn Sousa stated that the organization intends to be active this election cycle in supporting candidates from both parties who strengthen U.S.-Israel relations while opposing those who may undermine it.
