Democratic State Party Chairman LeRoy Jones - who also chairs the Essex County Democratic Committee - said it's time for the party organization to align behind Analilia Mejia in CD-11.

"I don't see a pathway for him," Jones said of former U.S. Rep. Tom Malinowski, who right now trails Mejia by 889 votes.

"We should all be rallying around the winner," Jones added. "Time is running out and it

is time to put together a coalition of Democrats from all corners of party to move as one."

A former labor organizer with SEIU 32BJ who catapulted herself into national politics as a leader in the Bernie Sanders presidential campaign, Mejia prevailed in the CD-11 Democratic Primary in a field of 11 contenders.

Jones and his organization backed Commissioner Brendan Gill in the primary.

Gill finished third in the Essex County portion of the district and fourth overall behind Mejia, Malinowski, and former Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way. He issued an endorsement of Mejia following last Thursday's primary.

As of early this morning, Malinowski had not publicly conceded amid reports of a likely recount in a close election, with Mejia ahead, 18,584 to 17,695.

He later raised the white flag. PLEASE GO HERE.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, an early backer of Mejia, appeared well positioned to advance one of his allies for a countywide commission seat. The Rev. Marques-Aquil Lewis is a likely strong contender.

But Baraka - who won Essex last year in the Democratic Primary for Governor while losing statewide, and whose candidate beat the machine last week - won't put up a progressive slate against incumbent County Executive Joe DiVincenzo.

There are too many good ties there, and DiVincenzo maintains very close connections to the governor's office, which helps Baraka in Newark.

Essex - the machine that backed Gill and the progressive arm with Baraka and public sector labor that supports Mejia - looks poised to come together in accord with Jones' plea.

The Morris County Republican Committee concurrently issued the following statement to supporters as they line up behind GOP nominee Joe Hathaway in preparation for the April special election:

"Although the Race for the Democrat nomination for our CD11 Congressional Seat hasn't been officially called yet, it appears the Democrats have chosen the one candidate endorsed by Bernie Sanders and AOC. Morris County is not the home of progressive socialists!! We have a unique and urgent opportunity to fight back!! This is our chance to say no to Socialism and fight for the values that make Morris County the best place to live, work and flourish. We need all hands on deck to assure our County remains Republican this Fall."

Essex Democrats, however, exulted in Mejia's apparent triumph. Two sources - one from Baraka world and one from the county party organization - told InsiderNJ that working class advocate Mejia in office would immediately put New Jersey on the political relevancy map in a unique and pugilistically profound way.

In response to Republicans clamoring about "socialism," a longtime Democratic Party operative, speaking on condition of anonymity, noted that urgent resistance to President Donald Trump in New Jersey aligns the mostly leafy suburban CD-11 district helmed by mild-mannered Rodney Frelinghuysen not even a decade ago, more closely with AOC than the GOP.