Democrat Analilia Mejia wins New Jersey special election
Portrait of Kathryn PalmerKathryn Palmer
USA TODAY
Updated April 16, 2026, 10:12 p.m. ET
Analilia Mejia, a progressive Democrat, pulled off a decisive win against a Republican opponent to serve the remaining term of a vacant New Jersey House seat.
The seat, representing New Jersey's 11th congressional district, was left empty after former Rep. Mikie Sherrill won the 2025 gubernatorial election. Mejia will remain in the seat for the next eight months, but that doesn't mean it's the end of her campaign efforts. To run in the November 2026 midterm election and nab a full two-year term in the seat, the progressive New Jersey organizer will need to win the Democratic midterm primary in June.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2026/04/16/new-jersey-special-election-live-updates-results–live/89633276007/