Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill’s win in New Jersey’s gubernatorial race has triggered a crowded special election to fill her U.S. House seat, with 13 Democrats contending for the nomination to face the lone Republican candidate in the race.

The staggering 13-candidate Democratic field in New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District could set the tone for Democrats’ messaging priorities as the country heads into a midterm election year that could determine if Republicans maintain control of the House and Senate in 2026 amid President Donald Trump’s second-term.

Monday marked the filing deadline for candidates vying to replace Sherrill, where candidates were required to secure at least 500 signatures to make the special election ballot.

Outgoing Gov. Phil Murphy, D-N.J., issued the writ of election on Friday, Nov. 21, after Sherrill formally resigned from office on Thursday, Nov. 20. The special primary election is set for Feb. 5, 2026, and the special general election will be held on April 16, 2026.

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The election comes as Democrats secured gubernatorial victories in New Jersey and Virginia and passed Proposition 50 in California this year, allowing the state to move forward with a new congressional map that is expected to add up to five Democratic-leaning districts.

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Murphy has already endorsed Essex County Commissioner Brendan Gill, touting his commitment to affordability and protecting “freedoms” in the fight against Trump. As the Essex County commissioner-at-large, Gill represents 22 towns in Essex County, and according to his campaign website, is committed to “taking on tough fights and delivering results that make our communities stronger, safer, and fairer.”

While Gill has secured a coveted endorsement from the outgoing governor, Democratic voters in New Jersey’s 11th will have 12 more candidates to choose from in February.

Progressive star Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has also thrown his hat in the ring to endorse the national political director of his 2020 presidential campaign, Analilia Mejia.

“As oligarchs and corporate interests continue to capture our government, we need true progressives to take our country back for working people. Analilia’s experience and deep dedication to working families make her the best choice for this seat. I’m proud to endorse her,” Sanders said last month.

Mejia served in the Department of Labor under President Joe Biden and is currently the co-executive director of Popular Democracy, a progressive grassroots advocacy group demanding “transformational change for Black, brown, and low-income communities.”

Another high-profile candidate with his own high-profile endorsement, former Rep. Tom Malinowski is running to return to Congress after losing his re-election for New Jersey’s 7th District in 2022.

Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., has endorsed Malinowski, touting his experience fighting the Trump administration. Malinowski served as President Barack Obama’s assistant secretary of state for democracy and human rights and was a senior director on President Bill Clinton’s National Security Council.

Outgoing Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way is also in the running for New Jersey’s 11th. The Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association has endorsed Way, spotlighting her commitment to “expanding opportunity and delivering results.”

Way has also served as New Jersey’s secretary of state and was the first Black person and first secretary of New Jersey to lead the National Association of Secretaries of State as president. 

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Meanwhile, Chatham Councilman Justin Strickland, a U.S. Army veteran, Bronze Star recipient and former Pentagon official, is also competing for the Democratic nomination.

Strickland has centered his campaign on affordability — the winning issue in the past two election cycles.

“Our campaign revolves around one simple principle: ensuring everybody has the economic liberty to fulfill the American Dream,” Strickland said on his campaign website.

Another Democratic candidate, Anna Lee Williams, is an activist who, according to her campaign website, has spent the past decade in the “nonprofit and private sectors bringing people together around causes that matter to them.”

Democratic candidate Jeff Grayzel is a local leader who currently serves as a committeeman for Morris Township, as chairman of the police commission and on the Board of Health.

He is the former mayor of Morris Township who is “committed to solving everyday problems facing residents, such as keeping taxes stable, controlling over-development, improving our infrastructure, and addressing our deteriorating environment,” according to his campaign website.

U.S. veteran and former Army paratrooper Zach Beecher said he is “running for Congress because Donald Trump and a failed Congress are putting our people and our country at risk,” citing rising costs, healthcare and leadership on the world stage.

Per his campaign website, Beecher is currently a major in the U.S. Army Reserves, and his congressional run marks his political debut.

Passaic County Commissioner John Bartlett, who is also competing for the Democratic nomination, said he is running because New Jersey deserves “another fighter who’s ready on day one, with a record of results and a focus on what really matters to us here” and “because it’s clear that Washington needs leaders who believe in the idea of public service and are willing to put country over party.”

Another Democratic candidate, Cammie Croft, helped the Obama administration pass the Affordable Care Act, touting her commitment to “advancing humane, bipartisan immigration reforms, to building a clean energy nonprofit that helps families lower their energy bills.”

Her priorities in Congress are “lowering costs for families, ending corruption, and building a stronger, fairer economy that works for everyone,” according to Croft’s campaign website.

Marc Chaaban, a former congressional staffer for Sherrill, is seeking to replace his former boss in the office he once served.

Reflecting the sentiment of his fellow Gen Z activists and politicos, the 25-year-old said “too many Democrats in Washington are asleep at the wheel” and the moment “demands a different kind of politics.”

His commitments include rejecting Trump’s agenda, banning members of Congress from stock trading, prohibiting corporate PAC money in elections and investigating the “Trump-Epstein cover-up.”

Dean Dafis, a Maplewood township committeeman and the former mayor of Maplewood, said he is committed to making New Jersey’s 11th a more affordable place to live for working-class families. Per his campaign website, he is a civil rights advocate and the first openly LGBTQ representative on the Maplewood Township Committee.

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Finally, J.L. Cauvin is a community advocate, lawyer and comedian competing for the Democratic nomination. He is running on protecting seniors, making housing more affordable, leading on artificial intelligence, protecting democracy, banning stock trading and applying term limits in Congress.

The lone Republican candidate is Joe Hathaway, who is currently the mayor of Randolph Township and began his political career as an aide to Gov. Chris Christie, R-N.J.

‘Part of the job’

Edwin Guity was at the controls of a southbound D train last December, rolling through the Bronx, when suddenly someone was on the tracks in front of him.

He jammed on the emergency brake, but it was too late. The man had gone under the wheels.

Stumbling over words, Mr. Guity radioed the dispatcher and then did what the rules require of every train operator involved in such an incident. He got out of the cab and went looking for the person he had struck.

“I didn’t want to do it,” Mr. Guity said later. “But this is a part of the job.”

He found the man pinned beneath the third car. Paramedics pulled him out, but the man died at the hospital. After that, Mr. Guity wrestled with what to do next.

A 32-year-old who had once lived in a family shelter with his parents, he viewed the job as paying well and offering a rare chance at upward mobility. It also helped cover the costs of his family’s groceries and rent in the three-bedroom apartment they shared in Brooklyn.

But striking the man with the train had shaken him more than perhaps any other experience in his life, and the idea of returning to work left him feeling paralyzed.

Edwin Guity was prescribed exposure therapy after his train struck a man on the tracks.

The holiday spirit is upon us, but so is the pressure to spend. Fret not, there are several cost-conscious, merry-making activities and events throughout the city. This week includes two seasonal symphonic evenings, opportunities for hands-on artistic expressions, and a winter workout that hits the pavement — while on two wheels. Here are some no-cost events and ways to save across Greater Boston and beyond for the week of Dec. 8-14.

YULETIDE TUNES The New England Conservatory presents a family-friendly concert of Christmas classics, performed by the NEC’s Chamber Singers and Symphonic Winds groups, alongside the Rhode Island-based Navy Band Northeast. The program includes recognizable classics like “Christmas Time Is Here” and “Winter Wonderland.” Attendees are encouraged to test their caroling know-how during the concert’s sing-along segment, so it’s time to brush up on favorites like “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Silent Night.” Dec. 8, 7:30 p.m. RSVP required. Jordan Hall, 30 Gainsborough St. necmusic.edu

DOODLES AT THE GALLERY The Institute of Contemporary Art’s Neighborhood Night offers free admission to all guests starting at 5 p.m. Throughout the evening, attendees can join two drop-in drawing workshops — one model, one portrait. At 7 p.m., join a guided gallery tour of Zimbabwean artist Portia Zvavahera’s exhibition, or visit the museum’s on-display exhibitions at any time. Dec. 11, 5-9 p.m. Institute of Contemporary Art, 25 Harbor Shore Drive. icaboston.org

GAMES AND GINGERBREAD Get a little competitive — in a cheery, spirited way, of course — at BAMS Fest’s holiday game night, featuring a wide variety of board and tabletop games available throughout the Roundhead Brewing taproom. In addition to Jenga, Uno, and checkers, attendees can find a gingerbread house-making station with building materials provided while supplies last. DJ Kitz will play tunes throughout the night. Dec. 12, 7-11 p.m. Roundhead Brewing Company, 1 Westinghouse Plaza. bamsfest.org

YOUTH MUSIC The Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra will perform a free concert of holiday hits. The showcase features a string and wind ensemble made up of students from the BYSO’s Intensive Concert Program, which provides opportunities to young Bostonians from underrepresented backgrounds who are interested in classical music. Dec. 13, 5 p.m. Tsai Performance Center, 685 Commonwealth Ave. www.bysoweb.org/events

BIKE THE HALLS If you’ve ever wanted to fly through the skies on Santa’s sleigh, the annual Jingle Ride is maybe as close as you can get: The 18.5-mile bike ride, which traverses from Arlington to Boston and back, meets up at the Kickstand Café and takes off at 11 a.m. Riders are encouraged to dress up in Santa hats, antlers, or other festive fashion. Dec. 14, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Starts at Kickstand Café, 594 Massachusetts Ave., Arlington. ciclismoclassico.com

SWEEP-STEAKS The Aeronaut Brewing Company will host a Holiday Meat Raffle for cuts of meat from Savenor’s, a Cambridge butcher shop. Attendees get one raffle ticket for walking in, and are given a ticket for each donation of an unexpired, nonperishable food item, for up to five extra tickets. There are five baskets to win, each with vacuum-sealed cuts of meat (or pantry items, for the meatless prize). Dec. 13, 5-7 p.m. Aeronaut Brewing Company, 14 Tyler St., Somerville. aeronautbrewing.com

Check individual event websites for the most up-to-date information.

Send info on free events and special offers at least 10 days in advance to ryan.yau@globe.com.

Ryan Yau can be reached at ryan.yau@globe.com.