Overcoming an upchuck of negative mail and TV and shaking from his back the monkey of congressional redistricting that stranded him on the outside of the machine, former U.S. Rep. Tom Malinowski prevailed tonight in the CD-11 Democratic Primary.

In a field crowded with 11 candidates, Malinowski - a former state department operative from the Obama Administration who flipped the CD-7 seat

from red to blue in 2018 - tonight won the early vote and vote by mail and early appeared to be in a strong position to win - or place a close second - in Essex County.

Ultimately, he would lose Essex while winning districtwide by an apparent three percentage points.

Progressive organizer Analilia Mejia - ultimately the winner of Essex - finished a strong and impressive second districtwide behind Malinowski, leaving insiders wondering about her possibility of challenging tonight's special election winner in a June Primary.

For the moment, money and name ID in a low turnout election appeared to be key factors in the former congressman's victory tonight as he looks ahead to a special April general election showdown with Republican Joe Hathaway, who ran in an uncontested GOP Primary.

But Mejia looked strong, too, penetrating late with a strong progressive, grassroots campaign into what sources long described as a two-man race between Malinowski and Essex Commissioner Brendan Gill, an establishment Democrat. Party establishment insiders gaped over Mejia's late play, which demonstrates critical progressive support.

"When you combine the fact that Malinowski came into the race positioning himself as a progressive and between him and [second place finisher Analilia] Mejia getting about 60% of the vote, that tells you a lot about what Democratic voters are looking for right now," said StimSight pollster Patrick Murray. "Really in a Democratic Primary turnout here is going to be lower than it would be in June, which would bring more establishment Democrats out, but it probably wouldn't change the outcome. This is a case of Democratic voters looking to take the fight to Trump."

This is for the vacant congressional seat formerly occupied by Mikie Sherrill, who left congress after winning the 2025 contest for Governor. From his perch as chairman of the Hunterdon County Democratic Committee in his old congressional district, Malinowski backed Sherrill in last year's Democratic Primary.

Tonight represented a big political comeback for the former congressman, who weathered scrutiny for his stock trading, proved the odd man out during the state's last congressional redistricting process. Losing critical Democratic towns in the 7th District, he subsequently lost his seat to Republican Tom Kean, Jr. in the 2022 election.

Tonight proved a good win, too, for Morris County, where Malinowski won the

Democratic County Committee screening.

"It's great to see the Morris County endorsement meant something," Morris County Democratic Committee Chair Darcy Draeger told InsiderNJ. "Our screening committee had Malinowski, Gill and Way in our top four. It makes us feel good about the screening process and our endorsement. We're going to work really hard to support the once and future congressman."

U.S. Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) also proved a winner, as he enthusiastically backed Malinowski, his former congressional colleague.

Finally, if Mejia's numbers in Essex hold and she wins there, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka will have won Essex countywide for the second straight time. A Mejia backer, Baraka prevailed in his home county in last year's Democratic Primary for Governor.

AIPAC, which hurled the kitchen sink at Malinowski, proved one of the night's most

obvious losers. The Essex County Democratic Committee, which backed Brendan Gill, didn't have a good night, either, as Mejia surged.

Tahesha Way, the former lieutenant governor, appeared to have overtaken Gill late and on the strength of her showing, intrigued party members whispered about her prospects as an LD-40 state senate candidate.

All eyes were in Mejia amid questions about her intentions ahead of the June Primary and what the organizations in Essex and Passaic would do. Sources suggested that if she runs and comes up short in the full primary, she would be in a decidedly strong position to go after a legislative seat and bulk Democrats' progressive credentials in Trenton.

Party leaders say they hope all the candidates sleep on it for a night before plunging the party into another battle in the June Primary, when candidates will seek the Democratic Primary's nomination to run in the November general for a full, two-year term.

While Republicans continue to hemorrhage support as Trump’s deeply unpopular policies raise costs on New Jersey families, the DNC is all-in to support Malinowski, who will protect health care, lower costs, and build a more affordable New Jersey, the Democratic National Committee said in a statement.

In response to Malinowski’s victory, DNC Chair Ken Martin released the following statement: 

“Tom Malinowski ran an exceptional primary campaign focused on what New Jersey families care most about, from the rising cost of groceries and utilities to the health care crisis unleashed by Donald Trump and Republicans. Garden Staters feel the pain of Trump and Republicans’ affordability crisis and deserve leaders like Malinowski who will fight to lower their costs and increase opportunity. Malinowski has the experience to serve New Jersey once again. From now until Election Day, while Republicans are on defense as their approval rating tanks, the DNC will be on offense, going all-in to support Malinowski to ensure New Jerseyans have a leader who will stand up for them, not Donald Trump.”