Leftward Lurch: Bernie-Backed Mejia Ousts Moderate in NJ Primary Shock

Paul Riverbank, 2/11/2026 Progressive champion Analilia Mejia clinches the Democratic nod in NJ-11, overcoming big-money opposition with grassroots energy. Her victory redefines the district’s political calculus and sets the stage for a high-stakes April showdown, testing just how far left this suburban battleground is willing to go.

Her competitor, Tom Malinowski, walked into the history books with a brief, if gracious, concession. Malinowski—twice elected, once considered unbeatable—stood alongside close allies and told them, “I congratulate Analilia Mejia on her hard won victory… I look forward to supporting her in the April general election.” No grand speeches. Just a nod, and suddenly the era of one kind of candidate seemed over for Essex, Morris, and Passaic counties.

Mejia, whose resume reads like a "who’s who" of the progressive movement, seized this moment by talking less about parties and more about the worries that keep kitchen lights burning late: jobs, rent, and a sense of fairness that's harder to find nowadays. With roots organizing unions and a tenure as Bernie Sanders’ political director, she never shied away from selling big, sometimes controversial ideas. “You can’t reform that. It’s not fixable,” she said of ICE. “Get it out. Kick it over. It is done. Forget it.”

All the while, the contest was awash with the sort of money that draws raised eyebrows from old-school Jersey voters. Malinowski, after watching ad after ad pop up in his social media feeds—many funded through AIPAC-linked groups—said, “the massive flood of dark money that AIPAC spent on dishonest ads during the last three weeks” was staggering, perhaps more so than anyone in the campaign anticipated. Even Mejia, with a kind of matter-of-fact certainty, dismissed outside influence: “What they didn’t do was win this for us.” For her team, the bulk of the campaign was played out on cramped doorsteps and flooded church basements rather than in plush back rooms.

Meanwhile, opinion-makers were quick to sound off. Matt Bennett of Third Way, speaking for centrists wary of change, cautioned that “radical candidates” risked swinging the party straight into midterm trouble. On the flip side, Mejia was joined on stage by progressive firebrands and quietly backed by hyper-local leaders like Newark’s own mayor, Ras Baraka. The district, whose politics have shifted like so much Jersey shoreline, seemed poised at an inflection point.

But not everyone cheered. Maureen O’Toole, voice of the National Republican Congressional Committee, wasted no time pinning slogans on Mejia: “She wants to turn New Jersey into a socialist hellscape.” Her GOP opponent, Joe Hathaway, mayor of Randolph Township and a man with little primary competition, is already sharpening his message for April’s special election.

Of course, New Jersey regulars know this district’s political fate hardly ever coasts to a simple finish. Even as April looms, there are votes still being counted—absentee ballots surfacing in postal bins across the county. Mejia’s margin was nonetheless decisive enough for Malinowski to step aside and endorse.

In truth, this primary was anything but a two-person affair. Brendan Gill, well-known in Essex political circles, and Tahesha Way, once lieutenant governor and secretary of state, splintered the Democratic vote—though only Mejia managed to piece together an alliance wide enough to close the gap.

As the campaign caravan heads toward April, the question turns on whether the spark Mejia lit under the party’s progressive wing can turn into a bonfire when Republican voters show up. There’s no guarantee the national media’s lens will linger, but insiders already see this race as a bellwether for how much turbulence—especially around money in politics and the party’s shifting priorities—Democrats are willing to withstand before the dust finally settles.

On a blustery Tuesday, while most of North Jersey carried on oblivious, Analilia Mejia made her way onto the stage in front of a packed union hall and declared victory—a scene her supporters won’t soon forget. Only a few hours earlier, the national chatter was centered on whether districts like New Jersey’s 11th could still swing progressive. Now, Mejia stood before hand-painted signs, crediting “people power” for what some had dismissed as wishful thinking.Her competitor, Tom Malinowski, walked into the history books with a brief, if gracious, concession. Malinowski—twice elected, once considered unbeatable—stood alongside close allies and told them, “I congratulate Analilia Mejia on her hard won victory… I look forward to supporting her in the April general election.” No grand speeches. Just a nod, and suddenly the era of one kind of candidate seemed over for Essex, Morris, and Passaic counties.Mejia, whose resume reads like a "who’s who" of the progressive movement, seized this moment by talking less about parties and more about the worries that keep kitchen lights burning late: jobs, rent, and a sense of fairness that's harder to find nowadays. With roots organizing unions and a tenure as Bernie Sanders’ political director, she never shied away from selling big, sometimes controversial ideas. “You can’t reform that. It’s not fixable,” she said of ICE. “Get it out. Kick it over. It is done. Forget it.”All the while, the contest was awash with the sort of money that draws raised eyebrows from old-school Jersey voters. Malinowski, after watching ad after ad pop up in his social media feeds—many funded through AIPAC-linked groups—said, “the massive flood of dark money that AIPAC spent on dishonest ads during the last three weeks” was staggering, perhaps more so than anyone in the campaign anticipated. Even Mejia, with a kind of matter-of-fact certainty, dismissed outside influence: “What they didn’t do was win this for us.” For her team, the bulk of the campaign was played out on cramped doorsteps and flooded church basements rather than in plush back rooms.Meanwhile, opinion-makers were quick to sound off. Matt Bennett of Third Way, speaking for centrists wary of change, cautioned that “radical candidates” risked swinging the party straight into midterm trouble. On the flip side, Mejia was joined on stage by progressive firebrands and quietly backed by hyper-local leaders like Newark’s own mayor, Ras Baraka. The district, whose politics have shifted like so much Jersey shoreline, seemed poised at an inflection point.But not everyone cheered. Maureen O’Toole, voice of the National Republican Congressional Committee, wasted no time pinning slogans on Mejia: “She wants to turn New Jersey into a socialist hellscape.” Her GOP opponent, Joe Hathaway, mayor of Randolph Township and a man with little primary competition, is already sharpening his message for April’s special election.Of course, New Jersey regulars know this district’s political fate hardly ever coasts to a simple finish. Even as April looms, there are votes still being counted—absentee ballots surfacing in postal bins across the county. Mejia’s margin was nonetheless decisive enough for Malinowski to step aside and endorse.In truth, this primary was anything but a two-person affair. Brendan Gill, well-known in Essex political circles, and Tahesha Way, once lieutenant governor and secretary of state, splintered the Democratic vote—though only Mejia managed to piece together an alliance wide enough to close the gap.As the campaign caravan heads toward April, the question turns on whether the spark Mejia lit under the party’s progressive wing can turn into a bonfire when Republican voters show up. There’s no guarantee the national media’s lens will linger, but insiders already see this race as a bellwether for how much turbulence—especially around money in politics and the party’s shifting priorities—Democrats are willing to withstand before the dust finally settles.