Morris County Jewish Caucus Clarifies Why It Skipped Endorsing Mejia in CD-11

The Jewish caucus of the Morris County Democratic Committee did not endorse Rep. Analilia Mejia for reelection in New Jersey Congressional District 11, a decision that has fueled criticism from her Republican challenger, Joe Hathaway.

Hathaway, who has labeled Mejia anti-Semitic since the April special election, shared a social media post on October 27 stating, "Let that sink in. Her own party's Jewish caucus won't endorse her." The comment gained traction after reports indicated the caucus had omitted Mejia from its recent endorsement list.

Jason Navarino, the caucus chair, issued a statement on October 28 to clarify the group's intent. He explained that the caucus chose to direct its resources toward specific competitive House and county races, as well as local contests featuring Jewish candidates. Navarino noted that the group did not focus on a race where a "MAGA-supporting, Trump-enabling Republican candidate" had been decisively defeated by voters only months prior.

Navarino emphasized that leaving Mejia off the email was not a snub nor an endorsement of Hathaway. He argued that voting for Hathaway would support Speaker Mike Johnson and a continuation of the Trump agenda. According to Navarino, that agenda undermines Jewish safety and values, including efforts to condition security funding for synagogues and Jewish schools on cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The caucus chair stated that Mejia opposes current ICE actions, while Hathaway's presence in Congress would allow those actions to continue. He concluded that a Democratic majority in Washington is necessary to address the administration's policies.

The caucus will meet again next week as the general election approaches, with voters in CD-11 set to choose between Mejia and Hathaway.