NJ-07: Rahway attorney joins busy Dem primary

The already-crowded Democratic field for New Jersey’s competitive 7th congressional district is growing once again.

Valentina “Vale” Mendoza, an attorney from Rahway, will run for the seat on a progressive platform that she says contrasts with the more moderate, traditional campaigns being run by her primary opponents. If elected, Mendoza would make history: she would be the first transgender congresswoman in New Jersey, which has never before elected an openly LGBT member of Congress.

“In this race, I saw so many candidates pouring into it, discussing their identities, avoiding controversial issues, and doing the exact same thing that I consider the problem with the Democratic Party’s general strategy and why I think so many people feel disenfranchised,” Mendoza told the New Jersey Globe. “We’re just not addressing the problems that people feel are salient to them.”

Mendoza’s entry to the race means that there are now no fewer than six Democrats vying to flip the district, which spans six counties in North and Central Jersey. The eventual winner of the Democratic primary will take on Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield), a battle-tested incumbent who won heated races in 2022 and 2024.



https://newjerseyglobe.com/congress/rahway-attorney-joins-busy-dem-primary-for-cd-7/