Candidates Vie for Governor Sherrill’s Vacant Seat

Analilia Mejia and Joe Hathaway share their views as they compete to finish their 11th District Congressional term.

By David Chmiel

Last November, U.S. Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill earned the privilege of serving every New Jersey resident. But to become governor, she had to leave her constituents in Morris, Essex, and Passaic counties. That paved the way for Democrat Analilia Mejia, co-executive director of the Center for Popular Democracy, and Republican Joe Hathaway, the Randolph mayor, to vie for the office in a special April 16 election. The winner will fill a term that expires January 3, 2027. It will be a busy term, including a June 2 primary and a November 2 general election to win the next term to become a member of the 120th U.S. Congress.

Learn more about them below:

What should residents of Dover and its surrounding communities know about your personal journey?

ANALILIA MEJIA: I’m a lifelong Jersey girl and the daughter of Colombian and Dominican immigrants, a factory worker and a seamstress. For the last 25 years, I have dedicated my entire life to organizing workers like my parents to ensure we all can have a dignified life. That’s what brought me to lead the Working Families Party in our state, where we won a $15 minimum wage and wage theft protections for every worker. That’s what drove me to run for Congress now. We’re in a political system and an economic system that doesn’t prioritize those every day. I’ve lived in this community for countless years; people are feeling the pinch from the higher costs and the chaos Republicans have caused. I’m prepared to work for a government that puts people first.

Joe Hathaway: This campaign is grounded in my roles as a mayor and councilman in nearby Randolph, and as a dad of three young children. As a dad, I know the challenges many other families and young people are dealing with, whether it’s student loan debt, buying a home, or paying for childcare. As a mayor, I know that the only way to fix problems is through common sense, practical solutions. That’s why I’m running for Congress: to be an independent leader who will help solve challenges and make life better for residents in Dover and across NJ-11.

How have your experiences prepared you to serve the district’s diverse constituents? 

J.H.: As a mayor, I’ve worked with Democrat and Republican leaders to get things done for the people I represent. In the past year, I’ve reduced our high-density housing mandates by 92%, improved our roads and infrastructure, increased public safety, protected our school system, and lowered costs by more than $1.1 million. Dover residents deserve to have a representative who rolls up their sleeves and does the hard work. Washington doesn’t need more show ponies; it needs workhorses, and I’m ready to get to work for the people of NJ-11.

A.M.: There are no shortcuts in organizing, and there are no shortcuts to truly understanding a person, their needs, and their story. I’ve spent the last 25 years centering these principles and putting people first, and that’s why I know I’m ready on Day One to serve our district. Our campaign has built a community of people from all walks of life. We’ve listened to neighbors who are fed up with the system, brought them into the fold, and launched a movement for a brighter future. I plan to govern the same way: bringing new people into the fold, meeting people where they are at, and building coalitions around the policies we need to take back our democracy.

What do you believe are the most pressing issues facing these residents?

A.M.: The outsized power of big money has corrupted our politics and weakened our democracy. These lobbyists and special-interest groups seek to buy out politicians, and we see it at the highest level of government, where this President has accepted gifts from different countries and is using the position to self-enrich. When you think about the additional consolidation of power in our government, it becomes clear how lobbyists and special interests use that access against working people. That influence drives up the prices of housing, healthcare, food, and much more. It’s why we’re seeing working families struggle while the powerful continue to get tax breaks and special favors. We have to address this issue head-on; it starts by centering on people — not special interests.

J.H.:  The most pressing challenge facing NJ-11 residents, including in Dover, is affordability. I believe making life more affordable in New Jersey starts with lowering our tax burdens and getting government out of the way so people can once again achieve the American dream. One of my main platforms is freezing taxes for first-time homebuyers. This plan will make home ownership attainable again for young people, teachers, veterans, and more. My plan will let people keep their hard-earned money instead of sending it to Washington, giving them the resources they need at a critical moment when they are planting roots and growing their future in their community.

What can hardworking residents of minority-majority towns like Dover expect from you to manage spiraling costs of goods and services, skyrocketing tax rates, and the spectre of an ICE presence and other social-justice pressures?

J.H.:  Residents of Dover and similar municipalities in NJ-11 can count on me to be a representative who puts the needs of my district first — before any political party, before any one politician, certainly before any squad. I will always support legislation that makes our communities safer, supports our small businesses and downtowns (like in Dover), and lowers costs for people here at home. For me, common sense for the people of Dover and NJ-11 comes first, not political ideology.

A.M.: Moments like this require candidates who will put everything on the line to do what's right, even if they stand alone. I am that candidate. That is what Dover can expect of me. I am an unbought and unbossed candidate, ready to take on special interests and fight for policies that put people first. I will work to secure universal healthcare and childcare, make the first $40,000 of wages tax-free, provide free public education, and cancel student loans. I have also been unapologetic about abolishing ICE, because it cannot be reformed. These are the types of policies people can expect from me — unlike my opponent and the MAGA extremists who are responsible for the terrorization caused by ICE in our communities, the tariffs that have driven up costs, and the cuts to food assistance and healthcare. That’s the difference voters can expect between my approach and the approach of MAGA Republicans.

What do voters need to know about the differences between you and your opponent?

A.M.:  My opponent is a wolf in sheep’s clothing — a tool for MAGA Republicans to gain another seat and advance their far-right agenda that has driven up costs for everyday people. I am fighting for universal healthcare, while Republicans have slashed healthcare. I will protect food-assistance programs while they continue to gut them. I’ll fight to help fix our commute, not freeze Gateway funding. I am committed to tax fairness, not catering to the powerful and special interests. I will fight the tariffs that raise everyday costs and push for affordable housing, while this administration’s proposals threaten to dismantle it… I’m running to be your congresswoman and represent only your needs. My opponent is running to be Trump's lapdog.

J.H.: There are major differences between my opponent, Analilia Mejia, and me. At the core, this election is a choice for voters between common sense, practical leadership, and radical socialism. Ms. Mejia’s socialist policies — the same policies that have crippled countries like Cuba, Venezuela, and Bolivia — will make our communities less safe and less affordable. She supports defunding the police, which puts our families in danger. She also wants to enact socialist economic policies that will reduce healthcare options and tax workers for money they haven’t even received yet. Ms. Mejia’s vision will crush working families with more taxes and more costs. My plan will give people more options and lower tax burdens, so hardworking families can succeed again.

If you win this election to finish out the term vacated by Governor Sherrill, how can you make an impact quickly to build voter confidence?

J.H.:  One of the fastest ways I hope to make an impact is by returning our federal tax dollars back to our district to pay for much-needed improvements to our infrastructure and our schools. We all know that our roads, highways, and train lines need major improvements, and that our school system isn’t funded properly. We can start to fix these problems by bringing back federal dollars to pay for important infrastructure and school-related projects that communities like Dover desperately need.

A.M.: People are looking for a different type of politician, one who isn’t going to sell out to the powerful and someone who is unbought and unbossed. From Day One, I’m ready to be just that. From the moment I enter Congress, I will co-sponsor bills to establish Medicare for All, pass the PRO Act to guarantee workers’ rights to unionize, abolish ICE, cancel student debt, and ban stock trading by members of Congress. We need to restore faith in our government, and that means fighting corruption within it. I’m committed to doing just that. But it goes beyond policy. I have used my campaign to launch ICE Know Your Rights town halls, hold community forums, and organize our neighborhoods. As an elected official, I will continue this work — staying accessible, dedicating my full resources to constituents, and listening directly to voters to address their concerns every step of the way. 

Editor’s Note: Go to nj.gov/state/elections/special-election.shtml for the details you need about how and where to cast your vote.