Slate News What Next - Is She New Jersey’s AOC?
Feb 17, 2026
Analilia Mejía, a progressive organizer who was Bernie Sanders’ political director and led work with the Working Families Party. She talks about running like an organizer with town halls and trainings. She foregrounds identity and immigrant roots while addressing voter anger. She confronts outside spending, campaign finance, and strategies for working with party leaders while pushing for bold reforms.
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From Organizer To Nominee
- Analilia Mejia jumped into a crowded New Jersey primary with only weeks to gather signatures and low name recognition.
- She ran grassroots town halls and trainings that helped her surge from ~5% to win the nomination.
Campaigning As Organizing
- Mejia treated campaigning as organizing by combining policy Q&A with trainings on civic engagement and rights.
- That approach framed voters as active participants rather than passive recipients of messages.
Outside Money Undermines Representation
- Big outside spending can reshape voter perceptions but can also backfire by exposing the influence of special interests.
- Mejia argues this moment reveals the need to untether democracy from outsized outside money like super PACs.