Progressives Rally Behind One Candidate in New Jersey Special Election Amid Party Establishment Fracture.
The upcoming special election for New Jersey's 11th Congressional District has taken an unexpected turn, with progressives unifying behind a single candidate despite the party establishment's fractured support. The seat is considered a safe haven for Democrats and will be filled by the winner of the primary on February 5, with the general election slated for April.
In contrast to previous elections where left-wing infighting inhibited unity among Democrats, this time around progressives have coalesced behind Analilia Mejia, a longtime political organizer and former staffer for Sen. Bernie Sanders. Her candidacy has garnered support from prominent figures on the Democratic left, including Sanders, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Ro Khanna, and Newark mayor Ras Baraka.
Mejia's worker-friendly platform, which includes Medicare for All and a proposal to make the first $40,000 in wages free of federal income tax, has resonated with major unions such as the 1199 Service Employees International Union and Communications Workers of America Local 1037. The endorsements from these groups reflect Mejia's personal history as a longtime organizer in New Jersey.
"This is the first midterm election, the first congressional election, after this monumental opening of our democracy," said Antoinette Miles, the current state director of the Working Families Party. "That offers the opportunity for progressive unions and organizations to unite around the candidates that we see as a part of our movement."
The primary will test New Jersey's new county line system, which replaces the previous preferential ballot placement in favor of endorsed candidates with a more inclusive grouping by office sought. This change is seen as an early victory for reformers who long opposed the system.
While Mejia has raised $420,000 and boasts a robust volunteer effort, she trails behind other Democratic contenders in fundraising terms. The primary's outcome remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: progressives have finally found a unifying force behind this election.
The upcoming special election for New Jersey's 11th Congressional District has taken an unexpected turn, with progressives unifying behind a single candidate despite the party establishment's fractured support. The seat is considered a safe haven for Democrats and will be filled by the winner of the primary on February 5, with the general election slated for April.
In contrast to previous elections where left-wing infighting inhibited unity among Democrats, this time around progressives have coalesced behind Analilia Mejia, a longtime political organizer and former staffer for Sen. Bernie Sanders. Her candidacy has garnered support from prominent figures on the Democratic left, including Sanders, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Ro Khanna, and Newark mayor Ras Baraka.
Mejia's worker-friendly platform, which includes Medicare for All and a proposal to make the first $40,000 in wages free of federal income tax, has resonated with major unions such as the 1199 Service Employees International Union and Communications Workers of America Local 1037. The endorsements from these groups reflect Mejia's personal history as a longtime organizer in New Jersey.
"This is the first midterm election, the first congressional election, after this monumental opening of our democracy," said Antoinette Miles, the current state director of the Working Families Party. "That offers the opportunity for progressive unions and organizations to unite around the candidates that we see as a part of our movement."
The primary will test New Jersey's new county line system, which replaces the previous preferential ballot placement in favor of endorsed candidates with a more inclusive grouping by office sought. This change is seen as an early victory for reformers who long opposed the system.
While Mejia has raised $420,000 and boasts a robust volunteer effort, she trails behind other Democratic contenders in fundraising terms. The primary's outcome remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: progressives have finally found a unifying force behind this election.
I dont get it why they all gotta support 1 person? cant we just have multiple people with diff views & opinions? its like when i wanna watch my fave football match and u tell me ur team wont watch it 
but then u see both teams playing bad & u end up supporting the other one. progressives seem to be doing the same, now we got a candidate who every1 likes 
! it's like they're more concerned with keeping their own power than actually serving the people. and now that progressives are finally coming together behind Analilia Mejia, it's about time 
. her platform is exactly what we need - worker-friendly policies and a real fight for justice. i'm so tired of seeing our energy drained by infighting and petty squabbles. this time, let's just unite and get things done 
! the fact that the Working Families Party is finally uniting behind a candidate is a huge win, and i'm hyped to see what the future holds 
.
. But I guess Mejia's worker-friendly platform is resonating with the unions and stuff. Medicare for All is still a great idea in my opinion 
...or at least it was back when Trump was president 
. Seriously though, it'll be interesting to see how this plays out - primaries can be crazy unpredictable 
. I mean, I'm not sayin' the other candidates are bad or nothin', but when you see someone who's actually been around the block a few times... it gives me hope for the future 
. Oh, and that county line system? Nice move by those reformers 
. It's about time we shook things up around here! 
. And hey, the fact that major unions like 1199 SEIU are jumping on board is a huge win, it shows that people are tired of being played by the party machine and want someone who actually represents their values.
so it's about time the party establishment stepped up their game and let the grassroots win 
but hey, let's give credit where credit is due - Analilia Mejia seems to be doing some solid organizing work 
Analilia Mejia seems like a solid choice, and it's awesome that her worker-friendly platform is resonating with major unions. 
The new county line system change in NJ is also a win for reformers - it's always exciting to see progress (pun intended) in politics! 
Even if Mejia doesn't win the primary, it's clear that she's bringing some much-needed energy and momentum to the campaign trail. 
. The fact that unions and organizations are uniting behind her worker-friendly platform is a total game-changer 
. Mejia might not have the funds, but she's got something even better - people's trust and faith in the movement 
. Fingers crossed for her in that primary! 
. Anyway, I'm rooting for Mejia to bring home that win and show everyone what progressives can achieve when they work together