The Democratic primary took place on February 5, 2026, featuring a crowded field of 13 candidates. As of February 7, Analilia Mejia holds a narrow lead over Tom Malinowski by 676 votes, with Mejia at 28.9% and Malinowski at 27.8%. The race remains uncalled due to outstanding mail-in and provisional ballots in Essex, Morris, and Passaic counties. 

(THE ORIGINAL STORY WAS BOGUS.  AIPAC's United Democracy Project (UDP) Super PAC spent over $2 million in attack ads against Tom Malinowski, aiming to block a candidate who supported conditioning U.S. military aid to Israel.  However, the spending backfired, significantly benefiting Analilia Mejia, Malinowski’s progressive opponent. 

On the Republican side, Joe Hathaway, mayor of Randolph, ran unopposed and won the nomination. 

 He will face the Democratic nominee in the general election. (in April)

The primary was marked by significant outside spending, particularly from AIPAC, which targeted Malinowski over his stance on conditioning military aid to Israel. 

 This may have benefited Mejia, who has strong progressive backing, including endorsements from Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.