NJ-11: Progressives are poised for a big victory in New Jersey

If Democrat Analilia Mejia wins next week’s election to fill New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s (D) former House seat, it will offer just the latest boost for progressives, who have notched a number of wins as the party debates its direction heading into the midterms.

Mejia, a top aide to Sen. Bernie Sanders’s (I-Vt.) 2020 presidential campaign, is widely expected to defeat Republican Joe Hathaway in the race for New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District on Thursday.

It would follow a recent pattern for progressives, who have won races or overperformed in a number of battles.

Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, a progressive, last month won the Democratic primary for a House seat in Illinois over a more moderate candidate and another liberal contender.


https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5826519-anelilia-mejia-expected-win/

Virginia redistricting battle enters home stretch

Democrats’ push to redistrict in Virginia is entering the home stretch as the party seeks to solidify an advantage in four more House districts ahead of the November midterms.

Heavyweight donors have poured millions of dollars into the April 21 contest, which asks Virginians to consider a constitutional amendment that would redraw the Old Dominion’s maps mid-decade and give the party the edge in all but one of 11 congressional districts.

The districts currently held by Republicans are outpacing blue districts in turnout, according to data from the Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP), as polls show just a slim majority of voters support the push. But Democrats have a significant fundraising advantage and ‘yes’-vote organizers say a string of new early voting locations could give the effort an energy surge this weekend, fueling hopes that the party could get a boost in the battle for control of Congress.

“It’s going to be a close race,” said Virginia Democratic strategist Jared Leopold. “It is a unique special election where both Republicans and Democrats are pretty motivated.”



https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5824691-virginia-democrats-redistricting-battle/

Progressive takes the lead in Anchorage council seat that was called for the Republican.

CA-GOV: Katie Porter calls on Swalwell to resign from Congress

Trump in Charlottesville, to try to cock block congressional redistricting

Donald Trump will be in Charlottesville later today for a closed-door fundraiser, which brings up the question – what does this supposed billionaire who can’t run for political office anymore need to raise funds for?

The closed-door event is at the Trump Winery, which, do you need to close the doors to a place that nobody goes to anyway?

Seems like much ado about nothing, especially when you find out that it’s an event for allies for the Vote “No” campaign, which is the effort of MAGAs to try to cock block Virginia from balancing out the gerrymandering they’ve been doing in places like Texas, Missouri and North Carolina.

“Trump and MAGA Republicans know what’s at stake — and they’re trying to rig the system before the midterms even begin,” said Dan Gottlieb, spokesperson for the Vote “Yes” campaign



https://augustafreepress.com/news/trump-in-charlottesville-to-try-to-cock-block-congressional-redistricting/

President Donald Trump calls for repeal of ranked choice voting in Alaska

President Donald Trump on Friday called on Alaska voters to repeal ranked choice voting at the November election.

“The Wonderful People of Alaska desperately want to restore Free, Fair, and Honest Elections in their Great State, and get rid of their disastrous, and very fraudulent, “Ranked-Choice Voting,” Trump said on Truth Social.

An effort to repeal ranked choice voting in 2024 failed by just 737 votes. A separate repeal initiative, sponsored by figures aligned with the Alaska Republican Party, is set to appear on the 2026 general election ballot.

Trump gave his “complete and total support” to supporters of the repeal effort, including U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan and Congressman Nick Begich, both Alaska Republicans running for reelection in November.



https://alaskabeacon.com/briefs/president-donald-trump-calls-for-repeal-of-ranked-choice-voting-in-alaska/

NH Supreme Court overturns conviction of man for voting in two states in 2016 election

CONCORD, N.H. — The New Hampshire Supreme Court has overturned the conviction of a man who prosecutors say voted in the 2016 general election in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

Richard Rosen was convicted in 2024 on a felony count of wrongful voting.

Thursday's ruling concluded that the trial court made a mistake by excluding evidence about another man who allegedly confessed to repeatedly casting votes in Rosen's name in Massachusetts.

Prosecutors were allowed to mention evidence of six prior instances in which votes were cast in Rosen's name in both states.



https://www.wmur.com/article/nh-supreme-court-overturn-conviction-voting-41026/70989443

NJ-05: Gottheimer now has $11 million in campaign warchest

Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-Tenafly) raised just over $1 million – $1,004,716, to be exact – in the 1st quarter of 2026, his second straight quarter posting a seven-figure fundraising haul.

Gottheimer has raised around $2.9 million since the beginning of the 2026 cycle and now has an astounding warchest of $11.1 million – by far the most money any New Jersey House member has on-hand, though it’s down from Gottheimer’s peak of around $21 million prior to last year’s gubernatorial election.

What will the five-term Democratic congressman spend all of that money on? Probably not this year’s race for the 5th congressional district, which Democrats and Republicans alike consider to be uncompetitive despite the fact that the district only narrowly supported Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.

Gottheimer’s lone Republican foe, corporate consultant Sean Kirrane, entered the race last fall but has yet to file any campaign fundraising reports. The moderate Gottheimer also has no Democratic primary opponents for the third cycle in a row.


https://newjerseyglobe.com/congress/gottheimer-now-has-11-million-in-campaign-warchest/

NYJ12: Scutari, Union County elected Dems coalesce behind Mapp for Congress

The leader of the state Senate is officially taking sides in the race to succeed Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing), joining other Union County Democrats to endorse Plainfield Mayor Adrian Mapp for Congress.

Senate President Nicholas Scutari, also the Democratic chair of Union County, announced his endorsement of Mapp on Friday. Mapp is one of 13 Democrats seeking the nomination in the 12th congressional district.

“Adrian Mapp is a proven executive leader who understands how government works and how to deliver results,” Scutari said. “He has demonstrated that he can lead with discipline, vision, and a deep commitment to the people of his community. I am proud to support his candidacy for Congress because I believe he has the experience, judgment, and strength to serve the people of the 12th District well in Washington.”

A plethora of other Union County legislators and officials also endorsed Mapp: Assemblyman James Kennedy (D-Rahway), Assemblywoman Linda S. Carter (D-Plainfield), Clerk Joanne Rajoppi, Sheriff Peter Corvelli, Commissioner Chairman Joseph Bodek, and Commissioners James Baker Jr., Michele S. Delisfort, Lourdes Leon, Alexander Mirabella, Stanley Neron, Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded, Joseph Signorello III, and Rebecca Williams.



https://newjerseyglobe.com/campaigns/scutari-union-county-elected-dems-coalesce-behind-mapp-for-congress/

NJ-11: Mejia (D), Hathaway (R) hit the campaign trail, and one another, in final week of special

Regardless of who wins next week’s special election in New Jersey’s 11th congressional district, voters are in for a change.

11th district Democrats, though satisfied with their representation by now-Gov. Mikie Sherrill for seven years, have nominated a staunch progressive, Analilia Mejia, to succeed her. While the moderate Sherrill came from an apolitical military background, Mejia cut her teeth in the trenches of New Jersey progressive politics, and has promised to bring a new energy to what’s long been seen as more of a centrist district.

Hoping to halt Mejia’s rise is Joe Hathaway, a Republican councilman and former mayor in the Morris County suburb of Randolph. Hathaway has been more willing than many GOP politicians to break with President Donald Trump and promote a more bipartisan image, but he remains a loyal Republican who says Democrats have veered far off course.

By any measure, Mejia is the favorite to win. The 11th district includes a mix of left- and right-leaning North Jersey suburbs, but the left-leaning ones have a mathematical advantage; in the 2024 presidential race, Kamala Harris carried the district by a 53%-44% margin, and the political environment has only improved for Democrats since then.


https://newjerseyglobe.com/congress/mejia-hathaway-hit-the-campaign-trail-and-one-another-in-final-week-of-nj-11-special/