Almost everyone in New Jersey’s congressional delegation has committed to running again in 2026 – New Jersey Globe

With the 2026 midterms a little over 15 months away, 12 of the 13 New Jersey members of Congress who are up for re-election next year confirmed to the New Jersey Globe, either in person or via spokespeople, that they’ll be running for another term next year.

The one exception has good reason to be circumspect for now: Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair), who is currently the Democratic nominee for New Jersey governor. If she wins, she’ll of course have to leave Congress, triggering a special election to replace her; if she loses, she could run for re-election, but she declined to confirm to the Globe whether that’s her intention.

“Right now I’m just totally focused on November 4th,” Sherrill said, referring to Election Day in the governor’s race. “That’s kind of where my planning is all going towards.”

Sherrill’s 12 colleagues who are set to be on the ballot next year were all far more definitive: they’re running for another term. That includes Sherrill’s erstwhile Democratic opponent for governor, Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-Tenafly), who essentially launched his congressional re-election campaign the night he conceded the gubernatorial primary to Sherrill.

“As I continue, with great honor, my work in Congress, and look to my next election in 2026 … I’ll never forget the faith you’ve put in me, for the awesome responsibility you’ve given me, to look after the 5th district,” Gottheimer told supporters the night of June 10.

Also running again are the state’s four representatives over the age of 70: 80-year-old Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing), 73-year-old Rep. Frank Pallone (D-Long Branch), and 72-year-old Reps. Jeff Van Drew (R-Dennis) and Chris Smith (R-Manchester). A spokesperson for 66-year-old Rep. Donald Norcross (D-Camden) confirmed that he, too, will run for re-election after overcoming a gallbladder infection this spring that nearly killed him.

Senator Cory Booker and Reps. Herb Conaway (D-Delran), Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield), Rob Menendez (D-Jersey City), Nellie Pou (D-North Haledon), and LaMonica McIver (D-Newark) also said they will run for re-election, not that there was much speculation to the contrary for any of them. (New Jersey’s other senator, Andy Kim, won’t be on the ballot again until 2030.)

Kean and Pou, though, are not guaranteed to return to Washington in 2027 even if they want to. Both represent closely divided districts – the 7th and 9th districts each voted for Donald Trump by around one percentage point last year – and both are top targets for defeat as Republicans look to expand their House majority and Democrats vie to take it back.

As for McIver, there exists the complication that she’s currently under indictment on federal assault charges stemming from a dustup outside the Delaney Hall immigrant detention center in May. McIver has pleaded not guilty, saying that the charges are an attempt at political intimidation by the Trump administration, and the case is set to go to trial this November.