POLITICS

Mejia Narrowly Leads Malinowski in New Jersey Primary

PUBLISHED Feb 6, 2026, 2:51 AM ET

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Media Bias Meter

Sources: 6

Left 17%

Center 83%

Sources: 6

Trenton, N.J. — Voters delivered an undecided outcome in the special Democratic primary to fill the 11th Congressional District seat this week, with Analilia Mejia holding a narrow lead over former Rep. Tom Malinowski after more than 61,000 ballots were counted Thursday and Friday. Early mail-in returns gave Malinowski an advantage, but in-person election-day tallies narrowed the margin to 486 votes, under one percentage point. Counties continue processing mail-in ballots, including those postmarked by election day, which could change results before certification; the Democratic winner will face Republican Joe Hathaway on April 16. Based on 6 articles reviewed and supporting research.

By Najma A. | JQJO News

Timeline of Events

Mikie Sherrill's election to governor created a vacancy in NJ's 11th Congressional District.
A multi-candidate special Democratic primary was scheduled to fill the seat.
Early mail-in returns gave Tom Malinowski an initial lead on election night.
Election-day in-person tallies narrowed the margin and produced a slim Mejia lead.
Counties are still processing mail-in ballots; the Democratic nominee will face Joe Hathaway on April 16.

Media Bias

Articles Published:: 6
Right Leaning:: 0
Left Leaning:: 1
Neutral:: 5
Distribution:: Left 17%, Center 83%, Right 0%

Who Benefited

Analilia Mejia benefited from late in-person vote tallies that narrowed the early mail-in advantage and produced a temporary lead, increasing visibility for her progressive candidacy.

Who Impacted

Tom Malinowski saw his early mail-in ballot advantage shrink as election-day votes were tallied, placing his initial lead under threat and making the outcome uncertain.