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A Mamdani-Style Candidate Looks to Win Over New Jersey’s Suburbs

Analilia Mejia, US Democratic House candidate for New Jersey, center right, takes a photo at Paper Plane Coffee Co. in Montclair, New Jersey, on Jan. 29. — Analilia Mejia, US Democratic House candidate for New Jersey, center right, takes a photo at Paper Plane Coffee Co. in Montclair, New Jersey, on Jan. 29.Source: Bloomberg

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By Nacha Cattan

February 3, 2026 at 1:00 PM UTC

Analilia Mejia, a longtime labor activist who’s never held elected office, is one of close to a dozen Democrats who are vying for an open Congressional seat in New Jersey.

Her campaign is a test of whether a Zohran Mamdani-style candidate can prevail in the suburbs.