Next month, voters in New Jersey’s Eleventh Congressional District (Essex, Morris and Passaic Counties) will be voting in one of the most consequential special election primaries in recent memory.
With 11 Democrats and one Republican vying for the seat vacated by Governor-Elect Mikie Sherrill, voters will decide who will represent them in Congress at least through January 2027, and possibly for three more years if he or she wins again in November’s General Election.
For Jewish voters in CD-11, the question often asked as election day grows closer—which candidate will be best for us? Who will be a strong, reliable supporter of Israel and the US-Israel relationship? Which candidates will support extending annual US military aid of $3.8 billion dollars? What concrete steps can Congress take to combat rising hate and antisemitism? Did President Trump make the right decision to attack Iran’s Fordow nuclear site last June? Should he strike Iran now to help overthrow the Islamic regime (or in the future, if the regime tries to rebuild its nuclear and ballistic capability?)
These were among the questions JCRC Chair Ben Hoffer and I asked the eleven Democrats running for Sherrill’s seat at a candidates forum last Sunday at Temple Bnai Abraham.
The wide-ranging conversation lasted over an hour and a half and can be seen here. We urge all CD-11 voters to make the time to watch, and most importantly, make your voice heard on February 5. Turnout is expected to be low, but the stakes for our community couldn’t be higher, given diminishing bipartisan support for Israel in Congress, the recent loss of the IHRA bill in our state and a disturbing rise in incidents of antisemitism.
If you are a registered but unaffiliated voter, you can declare your party preference on Thursday, February 5 and vote in the primary election. In-person early voting starts January 29 and ends February 2. Mail-in ballots which went out December 22 must be postmarked by the date of the primary, February 5.
The date of the special election is Thursday, April 16.
Although Jewish Federation will not endorse any candidate, we encourage active participation in the civic process and hope you will take the time to make an informed choice on election day.