Mejia wins NJ-11 special election, making history as the district’s first Latina in Congress

Progressive Analilia Mejia defeated Republican Joe Hathaway in New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District special election, filling the seat vacated by Gov. Mikie Sherrill until Jan. 3, 2027 and becoming the district’s first Latina representative. Mejia campaigned on universal health care, a higher minimum wage, and opposition to mass detention and deportation, while Hathaway framed himself as a pragmatic moderate. The district’s redrawn boundaries favor Democrats, signaling momentum ahead of November as both candidates prepare for the full two-year term.