Analilia Mejia, the newly christened Democratic nominee for New Jersey’s 11th congressional district, will run in the April 16 special election with the support of the seat’s previous representative, Gov. Mikie Sherrill.

“I’ve spoken with Analilia to congratulate her and I am very proud to endorse her campaign for Congress,” Sherrill said in a statement. “I’ve known Analilia for years – I’ve seen her dedication to expanding opportunity and fighting for working people. I know she will be a great partner in Congress whether it is fighting for the Gateway Tunnel or to protect our Constitutional rights.”

Sherrill, who represented the 11th district from 2019 through 2025, had not previously made an endorsement in the 11-way Democratic primary that Mejia won last Thursday.

For now, Sherrill’s endorsement applies specifically to the special election against GOP nominee Joe Hathaway; Mejia will also have to run in the regularly scheduled June primary for her first full term. There has been chatter about a more moderate Democrat challenging Mejia in that primary, and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee has hinted that it may back such a challenger.

Several other top New Jersey Democrats are making it clear that they want to see Mejia both elected in April and re-elected for a full term later this year. U.S. Senator Cory Booker, Democratic State Chairman LeRoy Jones, and Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing), LaMonica McIver (D-Newark), and Rob Menendez (D-Jersey City) al said that they’ll support Mejia in both April and June.

“No matter who you backed during the special primary, now is the time to rally around Analilia, support her candidacy, and ensure that CD11 remains a Democratic seat,” said Jones, who also chairs the Essex County Democratic Committee, which backed an alternate candidate in last week’s primary. “It is said that the Democratic Party is a big tent party – now is the time to put that into practice.”

“NJ-11 deserves a representative who will stand up against the harm Trump and Republicans are doing to our state,” Booker said.

U.S. Senator Andy Kim – a supporter of second-place finisher Tom Malinowski, who conceded his loss to Mejia this morning – put out a brief statement supporting Mejia in the special election; his office later confirmed that he will also support Mejia in the June primary.

“NJ politics is clearly in a new era where the voters get to decide instead of having the choice made for them,” Kim said. “Let’s keep fighting against machine politics and dark money and get [Mejia] into Congress. There is so much at stake in our country.”

This story was updated at 5:22 p.m. to note that Kim will also support Mejia in the June primary election.