Democrats Expand New Jersey House Delegation to 11-1
Democrats gained two seats in New Jersey's congressional delegation on Election Day, shifting the ratio from 9-3 to 11-1.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections
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Democrats expanded their hold on New Jersey's congressional delegation on Election Day, moving the ratio from 9-3 to 11-1. Republican Reps. Jeff Van Drew and Tom Kean, Jr. lost their seats in the 2nd and 7th congressional districts.
Why it matters
The shift reflects a change in the state's House representation after Democrats won both districts. Governor Sherrill's decision not to pursue a redistricting effort left the existing district lines in place for these races.
The New Jersey House delegation moved from 9-3 to 11-1 in favor of Democrats after the 2026 elections. Vote margins in the 2nd and 7th districts were not provided in the extraction.
The players
Jeff Van Drew
Jeff Van Drew is a Republican congressman who represented New Jersey's 2nd congressional district before losing his seat on Election Day.
Tom Kean, Jr.
Tom Kean, Jr. is a Republican congressman who represented New Jersey's 7th congressional district before losing his seat on Election Day.
The details
Democrat Zack Mullock won the 2nd congressional district, defeating Van Drew, while Democrat Rebecca Bennett won the 7th district, defeating Kean. Sherrill declined to pursue a redistricting effort in New Jersey ahead of the contests.
Timeline
November 3, 2026: Election Day, when Democrats expanded their congressional delegation advantage.
Political Context
Sherrill's decision to forgo redistricting kept the existing district lines in place for 2026. Those lines produced the shift from a 9-3 to an 11-1 Democratic delegation.
Voters in the 2nd and 7th districts now have Democratic representatives in Congress. The change alters which party holds the state's House seats for the coming term.
The takeaway
The result shows how district-level races can shift a state's delegation even without new maps. Readers tracking New Jersey politics can watch how these two districts vote in future cycles.
Further reading
For more on the state's races, see Elections coverage for New Jersey.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Washington Examiner.
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