NJ Congressional Races Heat Up Ahead of June 2026 Primary

New Jersey’s congressional map is seeing a flurry of early endorsements and political maneuvering as candidates jockey for position ahead of the June primary, with several competitive districts generating real heat this week.

In the 11th Congressional District, the race to challenge or succeed the current representative is pulling in both parade marchers and outside money. Democratic candidates Rob Mejia and Mikie Hathaway both walked in the Morristown St. Patrick’s Day Parade Sunday, a traditional show of strength in a district that runs through Morris County. At the same time, a pro-Way advertising campaign has drawn scrutiny after NJ Globe reported its funding traces back to AIPAC donors, adding a national dimension to what’s shaping up as a crowded primary.

The 7th District is showing its own signs of tension. Protesters have continued demanding visibility from Rep. Tom Kean, staging demonstrations at constituent service events and pressing for town halls. On the Democratic side, the field is building out with endorsements: Sussex County Democrats backed Varela, while Westfield Democrats threw their support to Bennett, who earlier secured the backing of Hunterdon County Democrats. That’s a solid geographic spread across a district that flips competitive in a good Democratic year.

In the 12th, the “With Honor Fund” endorsed Commissioner Robinson, a signal that bipartisan credibility groups see her as viable. That comes after Middlesex County Democrats backed Cohen in the same race, setting up what could be a competitive primary on the Democratic side.

Down in the 2nd District, Salem County Democrats endorsed Alexander, adding to the delegate math as that South Jersey seat continues to attract candidates.

On the state budget front, Governor Mikie Sherrill delivered her spending address in Trenton last week, and the early read suggests most school districts should see more money under her proposal. Two-thirds of districts are on track for increased aid, according to NJ Spotlight, though uneven property tax bills are complicating the picture as local budgets adjust to shifting state support. That’s the kind of math that hits differently depending on whether you’re in an affluent suburb or a working-class city like Trenton or Camden.

Sherrill also faces negotiations with Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin over reworking the StayNJ program, the senior property tax relief measure that has become a pressure point in Trenton. Sherrill signaled she doesn’t expect a fight. “I think Craig Coughlin really understands that we are fighting for middle-class families,” she said. “He has been a champion of that his entire career.” The diplomatic framing suggests both sides want to get to yes, but the details of any restructuring will matter enormously for older residents who have built their retirement plans around that relief.

Schools are getting squeezed from another direction, too. Rising health care costs are pushing districts toward layoffs, according to multiple reports, and Rutgers lecturers pushed back this week against what they called unjustified cuts, telling reporters the savings don’t come close to justifying the damage to academic programs.

The state’s ICE misconduct reporting portal has collected 35 submissions since launching, a relatively modest early number but one that advocates say signals real need among immigrant communities wary of coming forward. Federal immigration enforcement has put ongoing pressure on state and local officials, and the portal represents one of the more concrete tools New Jersey has deployed in response.

In Hudson County, local leaders are pressing the state to keep Heights Hospital open, with county commissioners preparing to launch a formal investigation into the planned closure. Hospital access in urban Hudson County is not an abstract policy question. Residents there depend on that facility, and losing it would widen health care gaps that already exist.

The new Portal Bridge opened under real-world conditions this week, the long-awaited infrastructure project finally carrying passengers after years of delays and billions in investment. Its first days drew attention not because anything went wrong, but because the pressure on a project that significant is enormous from day one.

Former Mercer County Sheriff Robert Lugossy passed away, the NJ Globe reported. Lugossy was a fixture in county Democratic politics for years.