The latest debate between Analilia Mejia and Joe Hathaway saw a flurry of heated exchanges over the U.S. economy, health care, the Trump administration and several other controversial issues as the clock ticks down to the 2026 midterm election.
Mejia, the Democratic incumbent, and Hathaway, the Republican challenger, are having a rematch for Gov. Mikie Sherrill's old U.S. House of Representatives seat in New Jersey's 11th district on Nov. 3. A third candidate, Alan Bond, is running as an independent.
The district includes dozens of towns in Essex, Morris and Passaic counties (see list below).
On Monday night, Mejia and Hathaway attended a debate hosted by the League of Women Voters of New Jersey, ACLU-New Jersey, New Jersey Hills Media Group, and the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Morristown Alumnae Chapter at St. Elizabeth University in Morristown.
Bond wasn't invited to participate in the debate, but shared some of the replies he would have given with Patch.
Watch video footage below, or view it here via the League of Women Voters Morris Area.
Each candidate was asked what their "number one priority" would be if they win the election.
Mejia said she wants to target the "big money" and special interests that dominate politics.
"For 25 years, I've worked behind the scenes fighting for policies that uplift our families and create opportunity," she later said. "Those 25 years have taught me that the biggest issue we in fact face in our political system is the outsized, corrupting force that big money plays in our politics and in our government."
Hathaway said he wants to bring costs down in New Jersey, including making home ownership more affordable, bringing down energy prices and investing in more vocational training.
"Costs are so high in New Jersey because Democrats have run our state into the ground for the last 30 years," he charged.
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Here are some the comments that were made during the Oct. 26 debate:
THE ECONOMY
Mejia: "I am not your traditional politician. I am a soccer mom who is mad as hell that we are mortgaging our children's future. I am angry that we are allowing our government to be gutted just to give billionaires and special interest another zero in their tax in their bank accounts… I agree with individuals who feel like this economy is leaving us behind. The truth is we have monopolies that are driving up cost and making our daily existence harder and harder. We've been dragged into an illegal war that is costing you more at the gas pump and it's costing you more in every aspect of your life."
Hathaway: "I'm here to offer a different choice. I'm a husband, a father, someone who believes in capitalism and hard work and the American Dream. And I believe that now is the time to reject socialism, to return to sanity in our state and in our country. And most of all to defend America from extremism wherever it comes from… I think we need to be putting policies in place that strengthen our small businesses, that give them more resources. What we don't need to be doing is pushing for $25 minimum wage bills that will utterly destroy our small business community all across the country, especially in places like Arkansas and Mississippi, where they don't even have an average wage of barely $25 an hour."
Bond: "New Jersey families need relief from rising costs, not more political arguments. My decades of experience in institutional investment management and operating businesses have taught me that economic policy must be evaluated by its real-world consequences. I support strengthening American manufacturing, expanding good-paying jobs, encouraging small-business growth, and reducing unnecessary financial burdens on working families. Tariffs should be carefully targeted to legitimate economic and national-security objectives, not imposed indiscriminately when they increase costs for American consumers and businesses."
HEALTH CARE
Mejia: "We have already been in a health care crisis. Far too many people go into catastrophic debt or go without care. So many patients find out the hard way that their insurance companies can cherry pick their services, their health care, and negate anything that their doctors say. Why? Because we have a profit-driven model. I propose that we expand our access to health care. It may not happen overnight, but a single-payer system will ensure that every single American has the coverage that they need."
Hathaway: "Costs in health care are far too expensive. We need to look at ways to increase price transparency for people so they know what they're getting. We need to expand the options for how many payers we have in the system already to drive costs down. We need to look at the middlemen in in drug pricing, the PBM middleman that are artificially inflating costs instead of sending them to the patients. And we can also look for entrepreneurs and gig workers and small businesses who can't offer their employees health care coverage today more options for health care coverage through associated health plans."
ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Mejia: "I know that climate change is real and science is real that we need to make sure that we are protecting our future climate, the future of our families and children. We need to ensure that we are exploring and engaging or expanding green energy and alternative sources of energy – as long as they ensure they are sustainable and that they will create a tenable environment… not just for us, but for generations to come."
Hathaway: "I think when we look at climate change, we have to look at new forms of energy to support that and to help that. But I think at the end of the day, we have to look at an all-of-the-above approach to energy, because energy costs are one of the biggest challenges we face in America. It is the underlying cost of everything… If we want to talk about clean, reliable, and affordable energy, it starts with nuclear energy. We won't meet the needs of tomorrow without investing heavily in nuclear energy. And we have to look at other bridge fuels and clean technology, whether it's [liquefied natural gas], whether it's solar or land-based wind… This is an area where practicality needs to rule the day. You cannot govern energy policy from ideology."
NATIONAL DEBT
Mejia: "I want to point out that the solution that's been offered is to cut is to gut health care, is to gut Medicare, is to gut the Department of Education, to gut our federal government – so that what? So that we could give billionaires, corporations or the very wealthy yet another tax break?... Our national debt is at $40 trillion. Donald Trump increased it by$4 trillion… What we need in this moment is to make smart decisions – like a family – to ensure that we are evaluating: 'What are the things we want to invest in, and how do we pay for them?'"
Hathaway: "I think both parties have failed to address the national debt for far too long. We're looking at now $40 trillion… But I think there's a few things we can do. Number one, we can look at the areas where we're spending the most money, particularly areas like health care, where we know costs are too high, and look for ways to reduce those costs. We also can root out the waste and the fraud and the abuse that's permeated our Medicare system, our Social Security system, to help bring those costs down. But at the end of the day, what is going to make the difference is having leaders who are willing to stop putting our children's future on the line and passing bills today that are being paid for on our children's credit card. I would support a federal law to require a balanced budget at the federal level."
IMMIGRATION
Mejia: "We need to ensure that we fix our broken immigration system. The madness and the chaos that we're seeing now is putting every single one of us at risk. What's more, it's actually eroding our due process and equal protection rights within our constitution. The correction has to be we need a transparent and fair system that moves with efficiency. We need to invest in judges and lawyers so that people aren't lingering for over a decade waiting for some resolution on their case… We can make programs to ensure that we fast-track – whether it's veterans, health care personnel – needed workers into our economy. There are many things that we could do. But what we shouldn't do is to continue to gut our government to give billions of dollars to a rogue agency that is turning their guns on the American people."
Hathaway: "I think we need – and have been long overdue – for comprehensive immigration reform. I think both parties have failed to address that issue. I think we need a new generation of leadership that's willing to go down and do that. And to me, what comprehensive immigration reform looks like is for people who have been here a long time – who have been contributing to our community, to their family, to society, who aren't gaming the system – those people deserve to not have to look over their shoulder and wait for the other shoe to drop. And I think we can offer a pathway towards recognition that is much more expedient through our green card program, through our permanent resident program… What I think everybody would also agree on is that if people are in this country illegally committing violent crimes like murders and rapes and assaults, they should be deported."
Bond: "America needs an immigration system that is secure, lawful, fair, and humane. I support effective border security, appropriate enforcement, due process, and comprehensive immigration reform. We must also recognize the economic contributions of immigrants and consider a carefully structured pathway to legal status for qualifying long-term residents who meet appropriate requirements. Protecting our borders and respecting human dignity are complementary responsibilities. We can enforce our laws without abandoning compassion or constitutional protections."
DONALD TRUMP AND 'POLITICAL INDEPENDENCE'
Mejia: "You could either send someone who is going to fight for our families, who's going to fight for our families, who's going to demand transparency, someone that is going to step up and demand what is right for our communities. Or sadly, you could send a rubber stamp to Donald Trump."
Hathaway: "Let's get one thing straight. When I agree with the president, I will tell you. And when I disagree with him, I will tell you that, too. But ask yourself this… will [Mejia] do the same with the extremists in her party?... I think small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy. I think the president's tariff policy is really hurting our small businesses, especially here in New Jersey. It's one of the areas I've pushed back and disagreed with him on."
Bond: "My commitment is to the people of New Jersey's 11th District, not to a political party or national political figure. Throughout my career in finance, business leadership, health care, and community service, I have learned that successful leadership requires listening, cooperation, sound judgment, and accountability. I would evaluate legislation on its merits, work across party lines, and support policies that deliver meaningful results for working families. Independence should be demonstrated through decisions and actions, not simply campaign promises."
POST-DEBATE COMMENTS FROM CANDIDATES
Mejia released a post-debate video to her supporters, reminding them that there are three ways to vote in New Jersey: by mail, early in-person, or on Election Day.
"This Nov. 3, you have a choice between sending a fighter to Congress, someone who will stand up for you and your families, or a rubber stamp for Donald Trump," Mejia said.
"This is a moment that requires leaders with integrity and grit," she added.
On the flip side of the coin, Hathaway's campaign team argued that he "emerged as the clear winner" of Monday night's debate.
Hathaway bashed Mejia for having a "radical, far-left progressive agenda," criticizing her support of proposals like a $25 minimum wage and a government-run single-payer health care system.
"Ms. Mejia can continue championing the agenda of democratic socialist activists, but I'm going to stand up for the people of this district, regardless of political party," he said.
Meanwhile, Bond made an appeal to independent and on-the-fence voters.
"Voters deserve leadership that combines financial discipline with compassion, practical experience with independent judgment, and a commitment to measurable results," he said. "My campaign is about people before politics, service before self, and building a stronger New Jersey together."
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL
Mejia, a longtime labor organizer, has said that public support for progressive causes like raising the federal minimum wage are a big reason why she earned a win on Election Day.
The congresswoman has been pointing to the impact of the Trump administration's "Big Beautiful Bill," which critics say contains many provisions that won't kick in after the midterm election.
"Republicans want credit for their 'Big Beautiful Bill,'" Mejia wrote. "They cut food assistance for 5 million people, including 1.5 million kids, to pay for tax breaks for billionaires. On Nov. 3, we vote them out."
Hathaway, the former mayor of Randolph, recently said he is plowing ahead full steam for Nov. 3, when a full term in Congress is at stake.
"From the very beginning, our campaign focused on bringing people together around a simple idea: that our district deserves common sense, practical leadership that puts families first, not a political party, not a president, and certainly not a squad," he said.
Hathaway said he expects more voters to show up to the polls this November as compared to earlier this year.
"The April special election saw just 23 percent turnout," he recently commented. "November will be a very different election, with more voters weighing in on the future of our district."
Bond has told Patch that he remains active in the NJ-11 campaign, although much of his time in recent months has been devoted to caring for his late wife, Sheila A. Bond, a plastic surgeon who recently passed away from breast cancer.
"Her compassion and dedication to others continue to inspire my commitment to serving our community," Bond said.
NJ-11 VOTER INFO
Early in-person voting will take place from Oct. 24 to Nov. 1. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Learn more about voting in New Jersey, and find polling places/ballot drop box locations here.
New Jersey's 11th Congressional District includes the following municipalities:
Essex County – Belleville, Bloomfield, Cedar Grove, Fairfield, Glen Ridge, Livingston, Maplewood, Millburn, Montclair (part), North Caldwell, Nutley, Roseland, South Orange, West Caldwell
Morris County – Boonton, Boonton Township, Butler, Chatham, Chatham Township, Denville, Dover, East Hanover, Florham Park, Hanover, Harding, Jefferson, Kinnelon, Lincoln Park, Madison, Mendham Twp (part), Montville, Morris Plains, Morris Township, Morristown Town, Mountain Lakes, Parsippany-Troy Hills, Pequannock, Randolph, Riverdale, Rockaway, Rockaway Township, Victory Gardens
Passaic County – Little Falls, Totowa, Wayne (part), Woodland Park
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