April 17 (UPI) -- Analilia Mejia won the vacant U.S. House seat in New Jersey in a special election on Thursday, maintaining control of the seat for the Democratic Party.
Mejia beat Republican candidate Joe Hathaway by about 20 points to win New Jersey's 11th Congressional District. New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill previously held the House seat before being elected in November.
The district was won by former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election by about nine points.
"To NJ-11: Thank you!," Mejia posted on social media. "I'm honored to be elected your next congresswoman. This victory belongs to all of us! We won by organizing our communities and that work doesn't stop now. As your congresswoman, I'll fight for you every day and together we're just getting started."
Mejia was an aide for Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., when he ran for president in 2020. She was endorsed by Sanders, as well as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. She will serve the remaining eight months of Sherrill's term and plans to run for re-election in November.
