Rep. Analilia Mejia (D-N.J.) was officially sworn in to represent the Garden State’s 11th Congressional District on Monday, further narrowing the GOP majority in the lower chamber.
Mejia, a top aide to Sen. Bernie Sanders’s (I-Vt.) 2020 presidential campaign, defeated Republican Joe Hathaway in a special election last week to succeed New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D) in the House. Sherrill, who took office in January, resigned from her seat in November to prepare for her first term as governor.
Tylease Alli, a reading clerk of the House, read the results of the special election on the floor of the lower chamber — prompting a standing ovation for Mejia. Rep. Chris Smith (D-N.J.), the dean of New Jersey’s congressional delegation, then asked Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to swear Mejia in.
Once Johnson did so, Mejia received another ovation from her colleagues, with many chanting, “Si, se puede” — or “yes, you can” in Spanish — before Johnson called the chamber to order.
In remarks on the House floor, Mejia said it was a “privilege and an honor” to join the House and thanked her colleagues for their “warm welcome” and her constituents.
