New Jersey voters may pick the House’s newest member this week

By Timothy Cama | 02/04/2026 06:10 AM EST

The winner of a crowded Democratic primary to replace former Rep. Mikie Sherrill is expected to dominate the general election.

Then-Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-N.J.) during a hearing in 2020 on Capitol Hill. Malinowski is running to replace former Rep. Mikie Sherrill, now New Jersey's Democratic governor. Stefani Reynolds/AP

New Jersey voters this week will pick Democratic Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s likely successor in Congress.

Sherrill won her state’s gubernatorial race in November and resigned the House seat she had held since 2019 ahead of last month’s inauguration.

Now, a field of 11 Democrats is vying Thursday in a special election primary to fill the 11th District seat in northern New Jersey’s New York City suburbs. It is a reliably Democratic district, and candidates are focusing their campaigns on fighting President Donald Trump.

Among the front-runners for the nomination is former Rep. Tom Malinowski, who represented the 7th District for two terms before he lost the 2022 race to Republican Rep. Tom Kean.

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