Central Jersey Democrats have chosen a nominee to take on a Republican incumbent who hasn’t been seen in the district or on Capitol Hill for months among other congressional primary contests Tuesday.

Democrats and Republicans set their nominees who will help determine control of Congress midway through President Donald Trump’s second term in office.

Democrats already control the nine of the 12 House seats representing New Jersey, but they could grow their number given national headwinds against Republicans as polls continue to show Trump sinking in popularity.

But New Jersey Republicans still believe they can hold their ground. Republican U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew will defend his South Jersey seat against Cape Mayor Zack Mullock in the fall after Mullock prevailed in a four-way primary.

Here is a look at other results across the Garden State.

Republicans choose Conaway’s challenger

Attorney and Naval reservist Michael McGuire will be on the ballot for 3rd Congressional District Republicans this fall after beating out fellow GOP candidates Jason Cullen and Justin Barbera Tuesday.

McGuire, of Freehold, is now slated to face off against Democrat incumbent U.S. Rep. Herb Conaway in November. Conaway, the first Black person to represent the 3rd Congressional District, was elected to the office in 2024, taking over Sen. Andy Kim’s former seat.

McGuire, meanwhile, is a Marine Corps veteran and currently serves in the Naval Reserve. He also works as a family and divorce lawyer in Freehold, and describes himself as “not a politician” on his campaign website.

M.I.A. lawmaker’s challenger chosen in key swing district

Former Navy pilot Rebecca Bennett will serve as the Democratic candidate for the 7th Congressional District this fall, when she will challenge Republican incumbent Rep. Thomas Kean Jr.

Bennett, of Bridgewater, beat out fellow Democratic candidates Michael Roth, Tina Shah, and Brian Varela in Tuesday’s primary. Her win came amid concerns over the health of her Republican opponent, who has been out of the public eye for months due to an undisclosed health condition.

Kean, however, released a statement Tuesday evening ahead of the election results. In it, he said he would reveal the reason for his absence soon.

“Right now I am focused on my recovery and under the advice of healthcare professionals, I will transition from virtual work to in person work within a matter of weeks. At that time, I will be completely transparent as to the nature of my medical condition,” he wrote in the statement.”

Bennett, who works as a healthcare executive, touted her time in the military during her campaign, noting in campaign materials that she served for more than 15 years in roles including helicopter pilot and experimental test pilot. She has focused on affordability and healthcare costs, among other issues, along the campaign trail.

Gov. Sherrill’s progressive successor fends off primary challengers

U.S. Rep. Analilia Mejia successfully defended her seat against a trio of Democratic primary challengers in Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s former congressional district, the Associated Press projected.

The 11th Congressional District includes parts of Essex, Morris, and Passaic Counties in North Jersey. Mejia, 48, a longtime progressive organizer, won the seat in an April special election.

She warded off challenges Tuesday from former Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello, who presented himself as a moderate, Joseph Lewis, who works in tech and was vocal about his support for Israel, and Justin Strickland, a Chatham council member who came in sixth in the special primary.

She heads on to a November rematch with Republican Joe Hathaway, a member of the Randolph Township council who Mejia defeated in April by more than 18 percentage points.

Mejia, the daughter of Colombian and Dominican immigrants who supports abolishing ICE, won the crowded February special primary to succeed Sherrill by a razor-thin margin against former U.S. Rep. Tom Malinowski.

A super PAC funded by American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a pro-Israel national lobbying group, had attacked Malinowski on unrelated issues because it was unsatisfied with Malinowski’s support of the country. The strategy backfired and may have helped Mejia, a candidate who has been much more critical of Israel.

Mejia has worked for many progressive causes, including the New Jersey Working Families Party and Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign.

Rabb-supported candidate poised to take a seat in Jersey

Adam Hamawy is poised to take over retiring U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman’s seat in the 12th Congressional District after coming out on top in a crowded Democratic primary that featured a dozen active candidates.

Watson Coleman last year announced she would not seek reelection for the seat she had held since 2014. She was the first Black woman to represent New Jersey in Congress, as well as the first Black woman to become majority leader in the New Jersey General Assembly, where she previously served eight terms.

“Now is the time to pass the torch to the next leader who will continue leading this charge,” Watson Coleman said in announcing her retirement.

News of Watson Coleman’s retirement quickly brought announcements from a number of Democrats who said they would seek to succeed her, and the race topped more than a dozen candidates ahead of primary day.

Hamawy’s candidacy was supported by Pennsylvania State Rep. Chris Rabb, a democratic socialist who won last month’s Democratic primary victory to represent half of Philadelphia. He appeared at a rally with Hamawy ahead of Tuesday.

Hamawy will face Republican Gregg Mele, who ran unopposed in the GOP primary, in November.

The 12th District leans Democrat, with about 42% of registered voters in that party, compared to only 18% registered as Republican, according to state data.

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(Aliya Schneider and Nick Vadala contributed to this report.)

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