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New Jersey's 12th Congressional District election, 2026
U.S. Senate • U.S. House • Congressional special elections • How to run for office |
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← 2024
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| New Jersey's 12th Congressional District |
|---|
| General election |
| Election details |
| Filing deadline: Pending |
| Primary: Pending General: November 3, 2026 |
| How to vote |
| Poll times:
6 a.m. to 8 p.m. |
| Race ratings |
DDHQ and The Hill: Pending Inside Elections: Solid Democratic Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Democratic |
| Ballotpedia analysis |
| U.S. Senate battlegrounds U.S. House battlegrounds Federal and state primary competitiveness Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2026 |
| See also |
U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th • 9th • 10th • 11th • 12th New Jersey elections, 2026 U.S. Congress elections, 2026 U.S. Senate elections, 2026 U.S. House elections, 2026 |
All U.S. House districts, including the 12th Congressional District of New Jersey, are holding elections in 2026. The general election is November 3, 2026. To learn more about other elections on the ballot, click here.
Candidates and election results
Note: The following list includes official candidates only. Ballotpedia defines official candidates as people who:
- Register with a federal or state campaign finance agency before the candidate filing deadline
- Appear on candidate lists released by government election agencies
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
General election for U.S. House New Jersey District 12
The following candidates are running in the general election for U.S. House New Jersey District 12 on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
| Brad Cohen (D) | ||
| Elijah Dixon (D) | ||
| Raymond Heck (D) | ||
Kyle Little (D) ![]() | ||
| Adrian Mapp (D) | ||
| Tennille R. McCoy (D) | ||
| Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D) | ||
| Shanel Robinson (D) | ||
| Squire Servance (D) | ||
| Sujit Singh (D) | ||
| Jay Vaingankar (D) | ||
| Gregg Mele (R) | ||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
Candidate profiles
This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "My name is Kyle Little I am a 36-year-old openly gay African American man and the owner of Isolation Fitness, which operates studios in Metuchen and Edison, New Jersey. I also serve as an adjunct college professor at Kean University. Originally from Union County, I graduated from Linden High School in 2006, and I earned my master’s degree from Montclair State University in 2014. I am running for Congress with the goal of rebranding and bringing change to the Democratic Party by advocating for better justice, equality, and rights for all Americans. If elected, he would become the first Black openly gay man to serve in Congress from the state of New Jersey."
Voting information
- See also: Voting in New Jersey
Ballotpedia will publish the dates and deadlines related to this election as they are made available.
Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses
Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
Survey responses from candidates in this race
Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
| Collapse all
Kyle Little (D)
I believe the Democratic Party is missing one crucial element right now — the willingness to fight back against fascism of MAGA Republicans, with strength and clarity. I will be that fighter, ready to stand up against extremism and defend our democracy.
Stronger Voices, Stronger Messaging
We need more leaders who can clearly and fearlessly communicate our values. I will bring bold, unapologetic messaging that inspires people, counters misinformation, and builds trust in the Democratic Party. We also need younger, more passionate voices. Right now, 31 Democrats in the House of Representatives are over 75 years old. The Party needs fresh energy and perspective to help lift its approval rating, which currently sits at just 27%.
Breaking Barriers for Justice and Equality
Kyle Little (D)
I am committed to strengthening our education system and ensuring that students learn the full, unfiltered truth about American history. Understanding our past is essential to building a better future.
Women’s Reproductive Rights and Maternal Health
I am deeply passionate about protecting women’s reproductive rights, with a special focus on addressing the alarming maternal mortality rate among Black women in New Jersey, who die during childbirth at seven times the rate of white women.
LGBTQIA+ Rights
Kyle Little (D)
Kyle Little (D)
Kyle Little (D)
Kyle Little (D)
Kyle Little (D)
Kyle Little (D)
Kyle Little (D)
Kyle Little (D)
The divorce was difficult, especially as a child. I had to split my time between two homes, navigating birthdays and holidays in a way that often made me feel like a piece being passed back and forth. There were times I felt caught in the middle, but I was fortunate to have the unwavering love and support of both my parents.
That experience taught me resilience, adaptability, and the importance of cherishing family, no matter how it’s shaped. It also gave me a deep understanding of how life’s challenges can make us stronger and more compassionate toward others.Kyle Little (D)
Kyle Little (D)
Kyle Little (D)
Kyle Little (D)
Kyle Little (D)
Kyle Little (D)
Kyle Little (D)
Kyle Little (D)
Kyle Little (D)
You can ask candidates in this race to fill out the survey by clicking their names below:
Campaign finance
| Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brad Cohen | Democratic Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Elijah Dixon | Democratic Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Raymond Heck | Democratic Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Kyle Little | Democratic Party | $13,029 | $18,886 | $1,256 | As of September 30, 2025 |
| Adrian Mapp | Democratic Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Tennille R. McCoy | Democratic Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Verlina Reynolds-Jackson | Democratic Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Shanel Robinson | Democratic Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Squire Servance | Democratic Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Sujit Singh | Democratic Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Jay Vaingankar | Democratic Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Gregg Mele | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Winston Jordan | No Party Affiliation | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
|
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2026. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." |
|||||
General election race ratings
- See also: Race rating definitions and methods
Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:
- Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
- Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
- Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[1]
- Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.
Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[2][3][4]
| Race ratings: New Jersey's 12th Congressional District election, 2026 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race tracker | Race ratings | ||||||||
| 12/23/2025 | 12/16/2025 | 12/9/2025 | 12/2/2025 | ||||||
| The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter | Solid Democratic | Solid Democratic | Solid Democratic | Solid Democratic | |||||
| Decision Desk HQ and The Hill | Pending | Pending | Pending | Pending | |||||
| Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales | Solid Democratic | Solid Democratic | Solid Democratic | Solid Democratic | |||||
| Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball | Safe Democratic | Safe Democratic | Safe Democratic | Safe Democratic | |||||
| Note: Ballotpedia reviews external race ratings every week throughout the election season and posts weekly updates even if the media outlets have not revised their ratings during that week. | |||||||||
Ballot access
The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in New Jersey in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in New Jersey, click here.
| Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2026 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Office | Party | Signatures required | Filing fee | Filing deadline | Source |
| New Jersey | U.S. House | Ballot-qualified party | 5% of the entire vote cast for members of the General Assembly at the last preceding general election, held for the election of all of the members of the General Assembly, in the district | N/A | TBD | Source |
| New Jersey | U.S. House | Unaffiliated | 5% of the entire vote cast for members of the General Assembly at the last preceding general election, held for the election of all of the members of the General Assembly, in the district | N/A | TBD | Source |
District history
The section below details election results for this office in elections dating back to 2020.
General election
General election for U.S. House New Jersey District 12
Incumbent Bonnie Watson Coleman (D) defeated Darius Mayfield (R), Kim Meudt (G), and Vic Kaplan (L) in the general election for U.S. House New Jersey District 12 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Bonnie Watson Coleman (D) | 61.2 | 196,871 |
| | Darius Mayfield (R) | 36.4 | 117,222 | |
| Kim Meudt (G) | 1.4 | 4,652 | ||
| | Vic Kaplan (L) ![]() | 0.9 | 2,915 | |
| Total votes: 321,660 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary
Democratic primary for U.S. House New Jersey District 12
Incumbent Bonnie Watson Coleman (D) defeated Daniel J. Dart (D) in the Democratic primary for U.S. House New Jersey District 12 on June 4, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Bonnie Watson Coleman | 86.8 | 43,510 |
| | Daniel J. Dart ![]() | 13.2 | 6,623 | |
| Total votes: 50,133 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary
Republican primary for U.S. House New Jersey District 12
Darius Mayfield (R) defeated Thomas Jones Jr. (R) in the Republican primary for U.S. House New Jersey District 12 on June 4, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Darius Mayfield | 84.4 | 14,753 |
| | Thomas Jones Jr. | 15.6 | 2,732 | |
| Total votes: 17,485 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Shola Coker (R)
General election
General election for U.S. House New Jersey District 12
Incumbent Bonnie Watson Coleman (D) defeated Darius Mayfield (R) and C. Lynn Genrich (L) in the general election for U.S. House New Jersey District 12 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Bonnie Watson Coleman (D) | 63.1 | 125,127 |
| | Darius Mayfield (R) | 35.9 | 71,175 | |
| C. Lynn Genrich (L) | 1.0 | 1,925 | ||
| Total votes: 198,227 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary
Democratic primary for U.S. House New Jersey District 12
Incumbent Bonnie Watson Coleman (D) advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House New Jersey District 12 on June 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Bonnie Watson Coleman | 100.0 | 37,440 |
| Total votes: 37,440 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary
Republican primary for U.S. House New Jersey District 12
Darius Mayfield (R) advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House New Jersey District 12 on June 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Darius Mayfield | 100.0 | 13,514 |
| Total votes: 13,514 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Nick Catucci (R)
General election
General election for U.S. House New Jersey District 12
Incumbent Bonnie Watson Coleman (D) defeated Mark Razzoli (R), Robert Edward Forchion Jr. (Independent), and Kenneth Cody (Truth Vision Hope Party) in the general election for U.S. House New Jersey District 12 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Bonnie Watson Coleman (D) | 65.6 | 230,883 |
| | Mark Razzoli (R) | 32.6 | 114,591 | |
| Robert Edward Forchion Jr. (Independent) | 1.3 | 4,512 | ||
| | Kenneth Cody (Truth Vision Hope Party) ![]() | 0.5 | 1,739 | |
| Total votes: 351,725 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Zadok Rubin (People's Party)
- Stan Koshy (Independent)
Democratic primary
Democratic primary for U.S. House New Jersey District 12
Incumbent Bonnie Watson Coleman (D) defeated Lisa McCormick (D) in the Democratic primary for U.S. House New Jersey District 12 on July 7, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Bonnie Watson Coleman | 89.2 | 81,936 |
| | Lisa McCormick | 10.8 | 9,928 | |
| Total votes: 91,864 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary
Republican primary for U.S. House New Jersey District 12
Mark Razzoli (R) advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House New Jersey District 12 on July 7, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mark Razzoli | 100.0 | 19,992 |
| Total votes: 19,992 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
District analysis
Click the tabs below to view information about voter composition, past elections, and demographics in both the district and the state.
- District map - A map of the district in place for the election.
- Competitiveness - Information about the competitiveness of 2026 U.S. House elections in the state.
- Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the district and the state.
- State party control - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.
Below is the district map in place for this election. Click the map below to enlarge it.

Partisan Voter Index
Heading into the 2026 elections, based on results from the 2024 and 2020 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district is D+13. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 13 percentage points more Democratic than the national average. This made New Jersey's 12th the 105th most Democratic district nationally.[5]
2020 presidential election results
The table below shows what the vote in the 2024 presidential election was in this district. The presidential election data was compiled by The Downballot.
| Kamala Harris |
Donald Trump |
|---|---|
| 61.0% | 37.0% |
Presidential voting history
New Jersey presidential election results (1900-2024)
- 16 Democratic wins
- 16 Republican wins
| Year | 1900 | 1904 | 1908 | 1912 | 1916 | 1920 | 1924 | 1928 | 1932 | 1936 | 1940 | 1944 | 1948 | 1952 | 1956 | 1960 | 1964 | 1968 | 1972 | 1976 | 1980 | 1984 | 1988 | 1992 | 1996 | 2000 | 2004 | 2008 | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winning Party | R | R | R | D | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
Congressional delegation
The table below displays the partisan composition of New Jersey's congressional delegation as of October 2025.
| Congressional Partisan Breakdown from New Jersey | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | U.S. Senate | U.S. House | Total |
| Democratic | 2 | 9 | 11 |
| Republican | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vacancies | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 2 | 12 | 14 |
State executive
The table below displays the officeholders in New Jersey's top four state executive offices as of October 2025.
| Office | Officeholder |
|---|---|
| Governor | |
| Lieutenant Governor | |
| Secretary of State | |
| Attorney General |
State legislature
New Jersey State Senate
| Party | As of October 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 25 | |
| Republican Party | 15 | |
| Other | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 40 | |
New Jersey General Assembly
| Party | As of October 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 52 | |
| Republican Party | 28 | |
| Other | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 80 | |
Trifecta control
New Jersey Party Control: 1992-2025
Fourteen years of Democratic trifectas • Eight years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Senate | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | S | S | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Assembly | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018
- ↑ Cook Political Report, "2025 Cook PVI℠: District Map and List (119th Congress)," accessed July 1, 2025
