Analilia Mejìa is a longtime organizer, civil-rights leader, and progressive champion running to represent New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. Raised in New Jersey, Mejìa’s work has centered on fighting for working people and expanding economic opportunity at both the state and national levels. She served as state director of the Working Families Party in New Jersey and as political director for Senator Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign, building grassroots power and coalitions to advance economic justice. Under the Biden administration, she served as Deputy Director of the Women’s Bureau at the U.S. Department of Labor, advocating for women’s workplace rights and labor protections.
In the 2026 special Democratic primary for NJ-11 — a seat historically competitive but with strong Democratic lean — Mejìa surged ahead of more establishment opponents, including former Congressman Tom Malinowski, and won the nomination in a narrow contest, establishing herself as the Democratic nominee for the April 16 special general election. Her victory reflects a progressive, people-powered campaign focused on bold solutions to today’s economic and democratic challenges.
Key Issue Stances & Priorities
Analilia Mejìa is running on a platform focused on lifting up working families, deepening democracy, and tackling systemic inequality — shaped by decades of grassroots organizing:
- Economic Justice & Working Families — Mejìa champions policies that make the economy work for everyday people, not wealthy insiders — including raising wages, expanding labor rights, and fighting corporate power.
- Affordable Healthcare & Childcare — She supports expanding access to affordable healthcare and childcare so families can thrive without fear of financial ruin.
- Defending Democracy — A core plank of her campaign is “unrigging” the economy and reclaiming democracy from special interests, ensuring that government works for people, not oligarchy.
- Immigration & Human Rights — Mejìa has been outspoken on immigration policy and human rights, arguing for more humane approaches to enforcement and asylum.
- Progressive Values & Bold Leadership — Endorsed by a coalition of progressive leaders — including Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren — she pushes for policies that reflect a bold, inclusive vision for New Jersey and the nation.
Why Analilia Mejìa Matters in NJ-11
- Historic People-Powered Campaign: Mejìa built a grassroots coalition that overcame establishment backing in a crowded Democratic field.
- Progressive Leadership Experience: From national campaigns to federal policy roles, she brings organizing and advocacy experience to the race.
- Coalition of Support: Backed by a wide pandemic of progressive endorsements — from local leaders to members of Congress — her campaign signals growing progressive momentum in the region.
- General Election Opportunity: As the Democratic nominee in a district President Biden carried and former Rep. Mikie Sherrill held before becoming governor, Mejìa’s general election campaign is positioned for a Democratic hold in April.
The system is rigged for billionaires — even those who are so grossly connected to the unfathomable — and we can't fix it by going back to simply the way things were before. We need a government that actually works for working people, a government that places people over politics and a leader who opposes special interests who clearly act against the common good. I won't take a dime of corporate PAC money, so I won't owe them anything. Billionaires and big corporations already have their representatives in Washington. I'm running because YOU need one, too.