Democratic Primary Heats Up in NJ Special Election
Tensions are running high in New Jersey's special congressional election as two top contenders, Analilia Mejia and Tom Malinowski, engage in a razor-thin battle for the nomination to replace Governor Mikie Sherrill. The outcome is far from certain with roughly 500 votes separating the two candidates as of Thursday night.
Mejia, a progressive labor activist, and Malinowski, a former 7th District Representative, were once seen as distant frontrunners but have since narrowed the gap. Their campaign strategies played out against a backdrop of high Democratic enthusiasm in the district following Sherrill's decisive win in last year's gubernatorial election.
Initially, Malinowski had built a healthy 9-point lead over Mejia in early vote tallies, including those from mail-in and in-person votes cast before primary day. However, Mejia staged a late comeback, outperforming her opponent in Essex County and beating him in Morris and Passaic county votes on election day.
The results underscored the intensity of the Democratic primary, with overall vote totals exceeding those of the 2024 primary by Thursday evening. Sherrill's November victory, which saw the highest turnout for an off-year gubernatorial election in over two decades, has energized Democrats to turn out in droves once again.
Tensions are running high in New Jersey's special congressional election as two top contenders, Analilia Mejia and Tom Malinowski, engage in a razor-thin battle for the nomination to replace Governor Mikie Sherrill. The outcome is far from certain with roughly 500 votes separating the two candidates as of Thursday night.
Mejia, a progressive labor activist, and Malinowski, a former 7th District Representative, were once seen as distant frontrunners but have since narrowed the gap. Their campaign strategies played out against a backdrop of high Democratic enthusiasm in the district following Sherrill's decisive win in last year's gubernatorial election.
Initially, Malinowski had built a healthy 9-point lead over Mejia in early vote tallies, including those from mail-in and in-person votes cast before primary day. However, Mejia staged a late comeback, outperforming her opponent in Essex County and beating him in Morris and Passaic county votes on election day.
The results underscored the intensity of the Democratic primary, with overall vote totals exceeding those of the 2024 primary by Thursday evening. Sherrill's November victory, which saw the highest turnout for an off-year gubernatorial election in over two decades, has energized Democrats to turn out in droves once again.
this NJ special election is getting crazy! I'm not surprised that Mejia and Malinowski are neck and neck though - both of them have been around the block a few times. It's interesting how Sherrill's win last year really got people pumped up to get out and vote again. And it's awesome that the enthusiasm is still high... 500 votes is a tiny margin, but I guess that's what makes this election so compelling. Can't wait to see who comes out on top! 
. Seriously though, 500 votes separating the two candidates? That's like trying to predict who'll win the next season of "Survivor"... anyone got a crystal ball? 
And those results from last year's gubernatorial election? It's like Democrats are saying, "Hey, we're gonna make Mikie Sherrill proud... and then take over the country?" 
Just kidding, sorta! But seriously, it's clear that New Jersey is on fire when it comes to politics. Can't wait to see what happens next! 
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I'm loving how both Analilia Mejia and Tom Malinowski are going head-to-head – it's like a real-life game of 'who can win the most votes' 
. It's crazy to think they were once seen as distant frontrunners, but now they're neck-and-neck (like literally!) with 500 votes separating them 
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! And can we talk about how Sherrill's November win brought out the big guns? 
It's amazing to see so many people turning out, especially after a huge off-year election turnout 
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. if sherrill's win got people pumped up and turned out to vote in droves, then this could be a big indicator of what's to come. let's see how the general election shakes out! 
. And now it's all about the turnout... Governor Sherrill's win last yr got ppl hyped 
. It's def not surprising that the turnout is through the roof this time around. The question is, who's gonna take the nomination? Guess we'll just have to wait and see 
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. It's going to be interesting to see who comes out on top in the end... fingers crossed for a smooth transition! 
this NJ special election is turning out to be! I'm kinda surprised Analilia Mejia managed to close that gap, especially since Tom Malinowski had 9 points on him at one point 
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! It's all about the grassroots movement, folks! These candidates are fighting for the people, not just the big donors and party elites 
. I mean, have you seen Mejia's track record as a labor activist? She's all about workers' rights and social justice 
. And Malinowski, he's got some experience under his belt, having represented that district before 
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. And let's not forget, the turnout is through the roof – over 500 votes separating them? That's just crazy 
. I'm rooting for Mejia, but Malinowski's got some solid credentials too 
. One thing's for sure, whoever wins this primary is gonna bring some serious fire to Washington 
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. Mejia and Malinowski both have good points but it's hard to tell who'd be more effective in congress - Mejia seems like a firecracker, but can she bring that progressive energy to DC? meanwhile Malinowski has some great bipartisan cred but might get lost in the shuffle? what do u guys think?