Democrats Descend Into Chaos in NJ House Race as 13 Candidates Jockey for Power

In what can only be described as a political circus, thirteen Democrats are now clawing for a single House seat in New Jersey, after Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill’s resignation opened up a high-stakes special election in the state’s 11th Congressional District.

With President Trump firmly back in the White House and the 2026 midterms already shaping up to be a referendum on failed progressive policies, Democrats are frantically trying to hold together their increasingly fractured coalition. Meanwhile, Republicans are united behind a single candidate a sharp contrast that speaks volumes about the state of each party heading into a crucial election cycle.

The facts:

• The February 5, 2026 primary will decide which of the 13 Democrats advances to the April general election.

• This seat, previously held by Sherrill, is now seen as a bellwether for Democrats' messaging ahead of 2026 and a potential sign of how far left they’re willing to go.

• Only one Republican, Mayor Joe Hathaway, is running a seasoned official who served under former Gov. Chris Christie and brings leadership experience without the progressive baggage.

While Democrats trip over each other to win the support of party elites and left-wing activists, the crowded field only reinforces the image of a party in disarray.

Gov. Phil Murphy, in a desperate bid to anoint a successor, has thrown his support behind Essex County Commissioner Brendan Gill, citing Gill’s loyalty to progressive priorities like "affordability" and vague “freedom” slogans code for the same big-government overreach that has hollowed out New Jersey’s middle class.

Bernie Sanders, never one to miss a revolution, jumped into the fray by endorsing Analilia Mejia, a far-left activist who once worked for the Biden Department of Labor and now runs a group pushing radical “transformational change” for “Black, brown, and low-income communities.” In other words, more identity politics and big spending with zero results.

And if the rest of the field wasn’t progressive enough, former Rep. Tom Malinowski best known for losing his seat in 2022 is hoping for a comeback, backed by Sen. Andy Kim. Malinowski’s claim to fame? Endless rants against Trump and a resume padded with D.C. bureaucratic titles.

Other names in the mix include:

• Tahesha Way, outgoing Lt. Governor, leaning heavily on identity credentials.

• Justin Strickland, Army vet and Pentagon official, running on economic liberty but buried under progressive rivals.

• Anna Lee Williams, non-profit activist with the usual woke playbook.

• Zach Beecher, another Army vet, who says Trump and a "failed Congress" are to blame parroting MSNBC talking points.

• Cammie Croft, former Obama aide still pushing for “humane” immigration reform and clean energy subsidies.

• Marc Chaaban, a 25-year-old former staffer who wants to investigate a so-called "Trump-Epstein cover-up" yes, seriously.

• Dean Dafis, an LGBTQ activist and local official pushing affordability and civil rights.

• J.L. Cauvin, comedian and lawyer, who wants to lead on AI and ban congressional stock trading.

The Democratic field represents the full spectrum of progressive chaos from identity-based campaigns to hardcore socialist rhetoric all while inflation, border insecurity, and crime continue to dominate voters' concerns.

And yet, while 13 left-wing candidates cannibalize each other in a crowded primary, Republican Joe Hathaway is running a focused campaign centered on leadership, public safety, and restoring common sense to Washington. The contrast couldn’t be clearer.

With Trump’s second term underway, the American people have already begun to turn the tide. Democrats are flailing, overextended, and increasingly out of touch with the voters they claim to represent. And in New Jersey’s 11th District, that disconnect is now on full display.

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