NJ-11: Early in-person voting begins in NJ special election to fill Gov. Sherrill's seat

Early in-person voting is underway in the special election to fill the congressional seat vacated by New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill.

The race pits progressive Democrat Analilia Mejia against small town Republican mayor Joe Hathaway. Mejia defeated a field of 10 other Democrats — including several better-funded, well-known establishment political figures in the state — in an upset primary victory earlier this year. Hathaway ran unopposed in the primary. The district has generally been considered a safe bet for Democrats since its borders were redrawn after the last Census, but Hathaway has tried to paint Mejia as too left-leaning for its voters.

Election Day is April 16. The result will serve as another indicator of how voters are leaning ahead of this year's midterm elections, which will determine which party controls the levers of power in Congress.

Democrats have momentum. They recently flipped state Senate seats in parts of deep-red Texas, Arkansas and a Florida district that includes President Donald Trump’s home at Mar-a-Lago. The party is hoping for a blue wave in November fueled by voter dissatisfaction with Trump. His approval ratings with key voting blocs like independents and moderates are worse than President Richard Nixon’s post-Watergate.


https://gothamist.com/news/early-in-person-voting-begins-in-nj-special-election-to-fill-gov-sherrills-seat