In New Jersey special election, Democrats debate who is best to fight Trump

WASHINGTON — Democrats face their first congressional primary of the year next week, with 11 candidates seeking to succeed New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill in a special election that could serve as an early indicator of how Democratic voters feel just weeks before the midterm election season kicks off in March.

Former Rep. Tom Malinowski, Essex County Commissioner Brendan Gill, former Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way and organizer Analilia Mejia are among the leading Democratic contenders in the blue-leaning 11th District in North Jersey.

The primary debate among the Democratic candidates has focused on how to fight back against the Trump administration and who is best suited to oppose the president. The candidates have also talked about lowering costs, with some tying high costs to Donald Trump’s policies. The affordability issue fueled much of Democrats’ electoral success in 2025, including in the Garden State, where Sherrill was elected New Jersey’s second female governor.

The primary has intensified in its final stretch. Outside groups have begun pouring money into the race, with the United Democracy Project, the political arm of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, spending $1.5 million to oppose Malinowski and the Democratic Lieutenant Governor’s Association PAC spending $1.4 million to boost Way so far with just over a week to go.

The primary also comes as Democrats are poised to tighten Republicans’ narrow House majority via a special election in Texas, which will be decided this weekend by an all-Democratic runoff.

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The winner of the 11th District Democratic primary will advance to an April 16 general election against Randolph Mayor Joe Hathaway, who is unopposed for the Republican nomination. Kamala Harris carried the 11th District by 8 points in 2024, according to calculations by Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales, meaning the Democratic nominee will be favored to hold the seat.

The Democratic field

Of the 11 Democrats, a handful have received the most attention through endorsements and outside spending. While polling of the race has been limited, Malinowski’s campaign has said an early survey showed him leading the field.

Malinowski, who served two terms representing the neighboring 7th District, leads the pack in fundraising, having raised $1.2 million through Jan. 16 with $404,000 on hand. He’s been endorsed by Sen. Andy Kim, who was first elected to the House in 2018 alongside Malinowski and has focused much of his political activity since his Senate campaign on fighting political corruption.

In ads, Malinowski has emphasized that he stood up to Trump during his previous stint in Congress and also vowed to take on corporations, in addition to the administration.

But Malinowski has been the target of spending by the United Democracy Project, with an ad attacking him over a 2019 House vote to provide $200 million for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The agency has been at the center of deadly protests this month in Minnesota and a focal point of Democratic opposition to the administration.

Gill, an Essex County commissioner, raised $808,000 and had $348,000 banked as of Jan. 16. Former Gov. Phil Murphy and a slate of other state Democratic officials have endorsed Gill, who worked for two decades in New Jersey politics as an operative and elected official.

Gill has gone after Malinowski over an earlier controversy over his stock trades, which became the subject of a House Ethics investigation while he was in Congress. Gill has argued that the stock trades were part of why Malinowski lost his 2022 reelection bid, which he said “contributed to allowing MAGA Republicans to take control back.”

Gill said that the administration’s decisions, including Trump’s tariff policies, the expired enhanced health insurance subsidies and the funding freeze for the Gateway Tunnel Project are all affecting how people think about the administration and elections.

“These are decisions that are hurting middle-class and working-class families that make up this district and they’re being made by a person who’s not only doing that but who is essentially hollowing out our democratic institutions,” he said.

Now, Gill said there’s “a lot more connecting of the dots out there,” as people link arguments in favor of affordability with the need to protect democracy.

Way, a former Passaic County commissioner before she joined the Murphy administration first as New Jersey secretary of state and then lieutenant governor, has highlighted her efforts to push back on the Trump administration, including in court.

“When there’s chaos all around us, you need someone who is seasoned and ready to lead on day one,” Way said in an emailed statement. “I’ve lowered costs for working families, helped make New Jersey a national leader in protecting democracy, and taken on Donald Trump in court — and won.”

Way is backed by the Congressional Black Caucus PAC and the Collective PAC. The Rolling Sea Action Fund, which supports Black candidates, spent $15,000 on phone banking and texting to support Way.

The political arm of the Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association has also spent $1.4 million on Way’s behalf, giving her a boost through phone calls, mailers and ads. Way has trailed some of the other top contenders in fundraising, with Federal Election Commission filings showing she raised $405,000 as of Jan. 16.

Mejia, a first-time candidate who has worked for several unions and led New Jersey’s Working Families Party before working for Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign, has consolidated support from the party’s progressive wing. Sanders visited the district this month to hold a rally for Mejia, who has also campaigned with Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna S. Pressley and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka.

Mejia said her campaign has held town halls that have also served as trainings for how to interact with ICE officers. She has called for abolishing ICE, calling it a “rogue agency.”

“I’m running to win this race, but I’m also an organizer that understands that regular, everyday Americans deserve the kind of information, are hungry for the kind of political and community organizing that empowers them,” she said.

Mejia had raised $420,000 as of Jan. 16 and had $358,000 banked for the final stretch of the campaign. The Working Families Party PAC has spent $183,000 on digital and cable ads and phone banking to support Mejia.

Other candidates running include Army veteran Zach Beecher, who’s garnered support from veterans groups; Passaic County Commissioner John Bartlett; Morris Township Deputy Mayor Jeff Grayzel; Chatham Borough Council Member Justin Strickland; former Maplewood Mayor Dean Dafis; former Obama administration official Cammie Croft; attorney and Trump impersonator J-L Cauvin; and Anna Lee Williams, a political newcomer who works for a digital music company.

Beecher is among the top three fundraisers in the field, having raised $505,000 through Jan. 16. Bartlett raised $466,000 while Grayzel took in $428,000.

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