Progressive activist Analilia Mejia has secured a narrow victory in a special Democratic primary for a US House seat in New Jersey, after former congressman Tom Malinowski conceded defeat. With around 93% of ballots counted, Mejia led by 889 votes over Malinowski in the 11th congressional district, with both well ahead of 11 other candidates.
Malinowski congratulated Mejia on her 'hard-won victory' and stressed the importance of sending a Democrat to Washington to fill the seat, rather than a 'rubber stamp for Trump'. Meja, a former adviser to Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign and head of New Jersey’s Working Families Alliance, said the lesson from her campaign was that 'people power can win'.
The race had been targeted by $2.3m in negative advertising from a Super Pac linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac), which opposed Malinowski over his stance on conditioning US aid to Israel. Malinowski accused Aipac of spending 'dark money' on dishonest ads that falsely portrayed him as supporting Donald Trump.
Mejia’s victory, in a state where established political interests often dominate, may encourage other progressive candidates ahead of the November midterm elections. She has been endorsed by prominent progressives including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Elizabeth Warren. She will face Republican Joe Hathaway in the special general election on 16 April.
