NJ Governor Sherrill's former congressional seat is up for grabs in a special election primary that began Thursday. The contest, which has drawn nearly two dozen Democratic candidates and one Republican contender, is being closely watched as a bellwether for the direction of the party ahead of the midterms.
The 11th Congressional District, encompassing parts of Essex, Passaic, and Morris counties, is seen as safe for Democrats. However, with several top-tier candidates vying for the nomination, including Essex County Commissioner Brendan Gill, former Rep. Tom Malinowski, and former Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way, it's anyone's game.
Analilia Mejia, a longtime New Jersey activist endorsed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, has generated significant buzz among party insiders as the candidate who could consolidate left-wing support in the district. With so many Democratic competitors, it's estimated that a small margin of victory could be enough to secure the nomination.
As the campaign enters its final week, candidates are scrambling to increase turnout. Mejia's team plans to launch a "power to the polls" campaign, while Gill's team will host "after parties" for early voters. Way, meanwhile, is reminding voters that she was instrumental in implementing early voting in New Jersey during Gov. Phil Murphy's tenure.
Despite the challenges posed by winter weather – including a nor'easter forecasted for this weekend – campaigns are adapting to reach voters. Zach Beecher's team has seen an uptick in engagement as snowy weather keeps people at home, while Justin Strickland's "Rebel Alliance" campaign plans to use music and a van to encourage residents to cast their ballots.
For those planning to vote early, NJ.gov provides a helpful tool to locate polling places. With the general election set for April 16, voters in New Jersey's 11th Congressional District have until February 3 to submit their absentee ballots or cast their votes in person.
The 11th Congressional District, encompassing parts of Essex, Passaic, and Morris counties, is seen as safe for Democrats. However, with several top-tier candidates vying for the nomination, including Essex County Commissioner Brendan Gill, former Rep. Tom Malinowski, and former Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way, it's anyone's game.
Analilia Mejia, a longtime New Jersey activist endorsed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, has generated significant buzz among party insiders as the candidate who could consolidate left-wing support in the district. With so many Democratic competitors, it's estimated that a small margin of victory could be enough to secure the nomination.
As the campaign enters its final week, candidates are scrambling to increase turnout. Mejia's team plans to launch a "power to the polls" campaign, while Gill's team will host "after parties" for early voters. Way, meanwhile, is reminding voters that she was instrumental in implementing early voting in New Jersey during Gov. Phil Murphy's tenure.
Despite the challenges posed by winter weather – including a nor'easter forecasted for this weekend – campaigns are adapting to reach voters. Zach Beecher's team has seen an uptick in engagement as snowy weather keeps people at home, while Justin Strickland's "Rebel Alliance" campaign plans to use music and a van to encourage residents to cast their ballots.
For those planning to vote early, NJ.gov provides a helpful tool to locate polling places. With the general election set for April 16, voters in New Jersey's 11th Congressional District have until February 3 to submit their absentee ballots or cast their votes in person.
, reminds me of when Obama was running back in the day, it's like a déjà vu moment, all these youngins vying for power 
. But seriously, Brendan Gill and Tom Malinowski are solid candidates, they've both got a good track record, unlike those other two, who, idk, I'm not really feeling Tahesha Way as much 
. And Analilia Mejia's got the left-wing crowd in a frenzy 
, it'll be interesting to see how that shakes out. Winter weather's gonna make voting a real challenge, hope everyone stays safe and gets out to vote 
!
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It's gonna be a wild ride, especially with winter weather throwin' everything off.
! She's got that Bernie Sanders vibe goin on and I love her energy 
. People say she's a dark horse but I think she's got this 
. And can we talk about how awesome it is that they're all using winter weather to their advantage 
? Like, who needs sunshine when you've got snow to keep people at home and voting? 
i mean we already know who the democratic party is gonna choose and its not gonna be an easy election for them lol those republicans gotta bring their a game 
sherrill's seat has been in the hands of democrats for ages so it'll be interesting to see if a republican can even get close 
. It's like they're all trying to outdo each other and make the whole thing more dramatic than it needs to be. I mean, who needs that much energy? In my day, we just voted and were done with it, no fuss, no muss 
. And what's with all these "bellwether" terms and midterms? It feels like they're speaking a different language or something 
.
. I guess it's hard not to get excited when there are so many big names in the mix.
At least they're trying to reach voters with some creative campaigns...I kinda love that Zach Beecher's team is seeing more engagement when it's snowy outside 
. It just makes me feel like things aren't all lost, you know?
. I'm loving how the campaigns are getting creative with their strategies, from Mejia's "power to the polls" to Zach Beecher's snow-day engagement boost 
. Mejia's got some serious momentum going on, but Gill's experience as a commissioner could be a major plus for Dems 
. Meanwhile, Way's enthusiasm is infectious - can she capitalize on that energy? 
it's anyone's game and i am HERE. FOR. IT! 
. But, you know, maybe that's what they need - some fresh blood to shake things up in NJ politics. I'm loving Analilia Mejia's "power to the polls" vibe, though! It sounds like she's got a real grassroots movement going on. And, honestly, who wouldn't want to vote for someone who helped implement early voting? 
it feels like a huge waste of time, ya know? we've got real issues to discuss on here but instead everyone's out here promoting their campaigns 
at least in NJ they're making it easy for people to vote early 
i'm loving the creative ways zach's team is using social media to engage voters during winter, who knew snow could be a good thing? 
- @SocialMediaSavvy
. And, yeah, Analilia Mejia's team is trying some cool strategies with the "power to the polls" campaign, but we'll just have to wait and see if they really make a difference 
.
. And honestly, who needs experience or popularity when you've got Bernie Sanders' endorsement? 
I bet it'll be a real nail-biter of a primary, but let's be real, it's gonna be a Dem no matter what 
.
. It's like they're trying to confuse the voters on purpose, you know? And don't even get me started on the weather excuses 
.
[Image of Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson giving a thumbs up with a party hat on]
and a van 
to encourage ppl to vote