With early voting beginning in the crowded field of Democratic candidates for the NJ-11 Congressional primary (election day is Feb. 5), many of South Orange and Maplewood’s current and former elected leaders have announced their choices.
All five current Maplewood Township Committee members — including Mayor Vic De Luca, Deputy Mayor Malia Herman and TC Member and former Mayor Nancy Adams, TC Member and former Mayor Dean Dafis and TC Member Jane Collins-Colding — have endorsed Essex County Commissioner Brendan Gill after Dafis bowed out of the race. Gill also has the support of former South Orange Village Council Member Deborah Davis Ford.
Former Maplewood Deputy Mayor Deb Engel, former Maplewood Deputy Mayor Jamaine Cripe and South Orange Council Member Bill Haskins have endorsed Senator Bernie Sanders’ former national political advisor Analilia Mejia.
South Orange Mayor Sheena Collum, plus South Orange Council Members Jen Greenberg and Olivia Lewis-Chang have endorsed former NJ-7 Congressman Tom Malinowski — as have former Maplewood Mayors Frank McGehee and Fred Profeta, as well as former Maplewood Township Committee Member Greg Lembrich.
Here is a full list of the candidates in the Democratic primary:
- Passaic County Commissioner John Bartlett, johnbartlett.com
- Army Reserve member Zach Beecher, zachbeecher.com
- Community advocate, lawyer and comedian J-L Cauvin, jlfornj.com
- Former Obama administration member Cammie Croft, cammieforcongress.com
- Essex County Commissioner Brendan Gill, gillfornj.com
- Morris Township Committee member Jeff Grayzel, grayzelforcongress.com
- Former NJ-7 Congressman Tom Malinowski: malinowskifornj.com
- Co-Exec. Director of Popular Democracy Analilia Mejia, analiliafornj.com
- Chatham Councilman Justin Strickland, justinstrickland.com
- NJ Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of State Tahesha Way, taheshaway.com
- Activist Anna Lee Williams, annaleewilliams.com
Only one Republican is running in the primary:
Mayor of Randolph Joe Hathaway joehathawayforcongress.com
Did we miss anyone? Email us at [email protected].

Analilia Mejia, Tom Malinowski and Brendan Gill

