NJ's Wild Primary May Take Days to Decide as Analilia Mejia Leads Malinowski by 1 Point
A dramatic twist has unfolded in the Democratic primary race for New Jersey's House seat, which was left vacant after Governor Mikie Sherrill took office. Congressional candidate Analilia Mejia is leading former Rep. Tom Malinowski by a mere one point, sending shockwaves through the party and leaving observers stunned.
The narrow lead, according to the Associated Press, could take several days to be finalized due to the large number of mail-in ballots still pending tabulation. Mail-in votes can remain uncounted for up to five days after election day, as long as they were postmarked by Thursday. County clerks' offices in Essex, Morris, and Passaic counties have yet to confirm when they will finalize their tallies.
Mejia's meteoric rise began on election night, when she initially trailed Malinowski by a significant margin. However, as day-of primary votes were counted, Mejia's campaign surged ahead, with exceptional performances in her home county of Essex and Morris and Passaic counties. Her grassroots organizing efforts and progressive endorsements from big-name figures like Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Elizabeth Warren helped propel her to the forefront.
Mejia's own background is deeply rooted in New Jersey politics, having grown up in Elizabeth and now living in Glen Ridge. As a long-time community organizer and activist, she headed the New Jersey Working Families Alliance before working on Sen. Bernie Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign.
Despite Mejia's remarkable lead, her campaign was marked by significant financial disparities with Malinowski's well-funded operation. However, Mejia's grassroots efforts and endorsements from progressive luminaries have paid off in a stunning upset that has left many pundits scrambling to reassess the Democratic primary landscape.
With the outcome still uncertain, both candidates are holding out hope for a complete tally of outstanding votes. Malinowski remains confident that his campaign will emerge victorious once all votes are counted, while Mejia expressed her determination to engage with voters and continue her grassroots organizing efforts. Whoever wins the nomination will face Republican Joe Hathaway in the special general election scheduled for April 16.
A dramatic twist has unfolded in the Democratic primary race for New Jersey's House seat, which was left vacant after Governor Mikie Sherrill took office. Congressional candidate Analilia Mejia is leading former Rep. Tom Malinowski by a mere one point, sending shockwaves through the party and leaving observers stunned.
The narrow lead, according to the Associated Press, could take several days to be finalized due to the large number of mail-in ballots still pending tabulation. Mail-in votes can remain uncounted for up to five days after election day, as long as they were postmarked by Thursday. County clerks' offices in Essex, Morris, and Passaic counties have yet to confirm when they will finalize their tallies.
Mejia's meteoric rise began on election night, when she initially trailed Malinowski by a significant margin. However, as day-of primary votes were counted, Mejia's campaign surged ahead, with exceptional performances in her home county of Essex and Morris and Passaic counties. Her grassroots organizing efforts and progressive endorsements from big-name figures like Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Elizabeth Warren helped propel her to the forefront.
Mejia's own background is deeply rooted in New Jersey politics, having grown up in Elizabeth and now living in Glen Ridge. As a long-time community organizer and activist, she headed the New Jersey Working Families Alliance before working on Sen. Bernie Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign.
Despite Mejia's remarkable lead, her campaign was marked by significant financial disparities with Malinowski's well-funded operation. However, Mejia's grassroots efforts and endorsements from progressive luminaries have paid off in a stunning upset that has left many pundits scrambling to reassess the Democratic primary landscape.
With the outcome still uncertain, both candidates are holding out hope for a complete tally of outstanding votes. Malinowski remains confident that his campaign will emerge victorious once all votes are counted, while Mejia expressed her determination to engage with voters and continue her grassroots organizing efforts. Whoever wins the nomination will face Republican Joe Hathaway in the special general election scheduled for April 16.
Analilia Mejia's underdog story is giving me all the feels 
it's clear she has a strong connection to New Jersey politics and her community organizing experience really paid off 
I'm also loving how progressive endorsements from big-name figures like Bernie, AOC, and Elizabeth helped boost her campaign 
of course, financial disparities were a concern, but grassroots efforts can make all the difference 
fingers crossed she'll continue to engage with voters and build momentum for her campaign 
this democratic primary is like a test of endurance... both sides dug deep & invested their energy, but in the end, it's not just about winning or losing, it's about what we stand for 
. Mejia's rise from grassroots organizer to front-runner is a reminder that power can come from unexpected places 
... how do you even measure progress in moments like these? It's all about how we define 'win' 
It's not like they've had to rely on big-name endorsements or anything... just saying 
. And can we talk about the whole "grassesroots" thing? Because, honestly, it sounds like Mejia's campaign was just really good at getting people to mail in their ballots on time 
. Anyway, I'm sure whoever wins will be super qualified for that House seat 
.
! Analilia Mejia's lead is SO close and it's taking forever to get those mail-in votes counted 
. Can't believe her campaign went from behind to leading by just one point 
. Those progressive endorsements must've made a huge difference 
. Can't wait to see how this all plays out - fingers crossed for a stunning upset 
. One point difference? That's crazy talk! I mean, I've seen some tight races before, but this one takes the cake 
. I'm trying not to get too caught up in all the hype and just wait for the final count 
... but honestly, it's hard not to wonder what could happen when those mail-in votes are finally tabulated 
. Either way, Analilia Mejia is giving Tom Malinowski a run for his money 
!
. If he can pull ahead once all votes are counted, that'd be a major swing in his favor. On the other hand, Mejia's still got some catching up to do if she wants to close that gap 
. Either way, this is gonna be a wild ride and I'm here for it! 
. Meanwhile, Malinowski's been pouring his heart and soul into this race for years, and he gets left in the dust by some grassroots newbie. I'm not buying it 
. What if there's more to this story than meets the eye? Maybe someone's pulling strings from behind the scenes... 