How three Democratic incumbents fared in 2026’s primary races
Menendez, Mejia put themselves in stronger political positions – and Pallone may be in a weaker one
No New Jersey House member has lost renomination to a non-incumbent challenger since 1958, and the 2026 primary elections didn’t change that. Four Democratic incumbents faced at least one intraparty challenger last Tuesday, though, and while they all won, the results still provide an interesting window into a restive Democratic electorate’s views on their representatives.
The biggest surprise came in the 6th district, where Rep. Frank Pallone (D-Long Branch) got around two-thirds of the vote against two unheralded challengers. Pallone has long been a formidable political force in both New Jersey and Washington, but the result reveals a not-insignificant contingent of voters that may be looking for new representation.
In the 8th district, Rep. Rob Menendez (D-Jersey City) faced what seemed to be the most serious primary challenge of the year but won fairly convincingly, while in the 11th …