Democrat candidate Analilia Mejia easily beat Republican Joe Hathaway in a special election, Thursday, April 16, for the remainder of Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s District 11 Congressional seat.
The tally was 78,666 votes to 52,487. Independent Alan Bond had 602 votes. Mejia was sworn in on Monday, April 20.
In Glen Ridge, Mejia had 750 votes, Hathaway, 205 and Bond three. Mejia will serve until the next Congress is seated in January, 2027. Beyond that, there are obstacles for her to continue in Congress: the June 2 Democrat primary and the Nov. 3 general election. District 11 encompasses parts of Essex, Morris and Union counties.
At the Woman’s Club of Glen Ridge, Mejia voted early and was the only voter allowed inside when she did. Outside she spoke to metro-NYC reporters and photographers on the lawn. Unlike her victory speech that night where she embraced a roaring crowd, at the club her words were about what the election meant to her.
She said when she entered the Feb. 5 Democrat primary people did not know her name and it was a thrill to make it to election day.
“I’m a mom and an organizer,” she said, “and concerned about the Democratic backslide and tariffs which are death by 1,000 cuts.”
When her opponent, Hathaway, compared her to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamidani, a Democrat socialist, she said it was because he was desperate, playing fast and loose.
“Frankly, he’s fear mongering,” she said.
She urged everyone to vote to preserve democracy.
“We are watching our government weaponizing against its people,” she said. “People can rule the day. They don’t want business as usual. My campaign centers on people and people are sick and tired of not being heard.”
Arriving with Mejia when she came to vote were her two small children. After seeing them off to school, she said once in Congress, she will be part of a small group of representatives with school-ages children.
At the museum that night, parking was at capacity, people crowded the stage and the winning candidate was Analilia.
“When I jumped into this race, the odds were stacked against us,” she said. “But we did the impossible.”
She recalled the humble lives of her parents and how they taught her the importance of service.
“My mother taught me if you walk on the earth with an open hand, you are able to give,” she said, then exhorted, “Open your hand, open your hand.”
She and her sister were also told that they had a rightful place in their country and community. She said the country was at a turning point and asked the audience if they felt it, too.
They roared. They did.
“My opponent spent the campaign like a little boy calling me names,” she said. “But it’s not radical to say a child should receive a good education, that people should receive a good wage. We are one of the richest nations in the world. Families should not be falling behind while billionaires thrive. We must stand up for each other. The true radicals are Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Donald Trump and Joe Hathaway. We must stop them.
“To all those assembled here, I will fight for you every day,” she continued. “I did not come here to play. I came here to fight for what’s right. It’s not right and left. It’s right or wrong.”
She then spoke in Spanish finishing in English.
“Don’t forget —in eight weeks we do it all again,” she said.
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