New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District election, 2026 (June 2 Democratic primary)

← 2024
New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District
Democratic primary Republican primary General election
Election details
Filing deadline: March 23, 2026
Primary: June 2, 2026 General: November 3, 2026
How to vote
Poll times: 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voting in New Jersey
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Solid Republican DDHQ and The Hill: Pending Inside Elections: Solid Republican Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds U.S. House battlegrounds Federal and state primary competitiveness Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2026
See also
New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District 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 Alabama U.S. House racesAlaska U.S. House raceArizona U.S. House racesArkansas U.S. House racesCalifornia U.S. House racesColorado U.S. House racesConnecticut U.S. House racesDelaware U.S. House raceFlorida U.S. House racesGeorgia U.S. House racesHawaii U.S. House racesIdaho U.S. House racesIllinois U.S. House racesIndiana U.S. House racesIowa U.S. House racesKansas U.S. House racesKentucky U.S. House racesLouisiana U.S. House racesMaine U.S. House racesMaryland U.S. House racesMassachusetts U.S. House racesMichigan U.S. House racesMinnesota U.S. House racesMississippi U.S. House racesMissouri U.S. House racesMontana U.S. House racesNebraska U.S. House racesNevada U.S. House racesNew Hampshire U.S. House racesNew Jersey U.S. House racesNew Mexico U.S. House racesNew York U.S. House racesNorth Carolina U.S. House racesNorth Dakota U.S. House raceOhio U.S. House racesOklahoma U.S. House racesOregon U.S. House racesPennsylvania U.S. House racesRhode Island U.S. House racesSouth Carolina U.S. House racesSouth Dakota U.S. House raceTennessee U.S. House racesTexas U.S. House racesUtah U.S. House racesVermont U.S. House raceVirginia U.S. House racesWashington U.S. House racesWest Virginia U.S. House racesWisconsin U.S. House racesWyoming U.S. House raceSubmit

A Democratic Party primary takes place on June 2, 2026, in New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District to determine which Democratic candidate will run in the district's general election on November 3, 2026.

Candidate filing deadline	Primary election	General election
March 23, 2026	June 2, 2026	November 3, 2026

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. New Jersey utilizes a semi-closed primary process, in which the selection of a party's candidates in an election is generally limited to registered party members. Unaffiliated voters can register as party members at the polls on primary election day. Otherwise, a voter must indicate his or her party preference (e.g., via an updated voter registration) no later than the 55th day preceding the primary in order to vote in that party's primary.

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

This page focuses on New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District Democratic primary. For more in-depth information on the district's Republican primary and the general election, see the following pages:

• New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District election, 2026 (June 2 Republican primary)
• New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District election, 2026

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
  

Democratic primary

Democratic primary for U.S. House New Jersey District 2

Tim Alexander (D), Bill Finn (D), Zack Mullock (D), Terri Reese (D), and Bayly Winder (D) are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. House New Jersey District 2 on June 2, 2026.

		Candidate
		Tim Alexander
		Bill Finn
	Submit photo	Zack Mullock
		Terri Reese
		Bayly Winder

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	There are no incumbents in this race.
= 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

• Curtis Green (D)

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.

Tim Alexander

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography:  "South Jersey doesn’t need another career politician. We need a fighter who understands our struggles and shares our hopes. I’m Tim Alexander. My journey in public service began as a Sheriff’s Officer in Cumberland County, where I learned the values of duty and integrity. I worked my way through the ranks and retired as a Captain of Detectives in the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, leading the Criminal Investigation Section. But retirement wasn’t the end of my story; it was the beginning of a new chapter. I became a civil rights attorney to keep fighting for fairness, accountability, and the voices too often ignored. I’ve seen our justice system from every angle. I know what it takes to keep our families safe, and I know true safety is impossible without justice for everyone. That’s the real-world experience I’ll bring to Washington. In Congress, I won’t play partisan games. I’ll fight to lower costs for working families, restore the Republican cuts to Social Security and Medicare for our seniors, and fight to bring back good-paying jobs to South Jersey. I’m not a politician. I’m a public servant. With your vote, we can build a future where South Jersey thrives, and where justice, opportunity, and dignity belong to every one of us."

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Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

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I’ve dedicated my life to service: From Sheriff’s Officer to Captain of Detectives to civil rights attorney, I’ve spent my career protecting and fighting for the people of South Jersey.

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I’m a fighter for justice: I’ve seen our system from every angle, and I know what it takes to hold people accountable and stand up for fairness when others are ignored.

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I will always put people over politics: I’m not a career politician—I’m a public servant who will fight to lower costs, restore cuts to Social Security and Medicare, and bring back good-paying jobs to South Jersey.

Bill Finn

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography:  "I'm a single father, special education teacher, coach and a life long New Jersey Democrat."

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Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

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I will work to get the PRO Act passed through Congress.

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I don't believe in subsides for Billionaires while regular people struggle to keep a roof over their heads, food on the table and the heat/electric on.

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I'm willing to make compromises in order to do what's best for New Jersey.

Terri Reese

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography:  "I am a lifelong Atlantic County resident, single mom, and former retail leader turned advocate. With over 30 years of experience managing teams and solving real-world problems for major national retailers and local small businesses, I know the struggles of working families firsthand, from caregiving for aging parents and raising a child with mental health challenges, to navigating job loss and healthcare gaps. I am not a politician. I am simply a resident of CD-2 who wants to make a positive impact on the lives of my community. I'm running for Congress to bring honesty, compassion, and common-sense solutions back to government—because the people of South Jersey deserve better."

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Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

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People Over Profits, Always: Government should work for us, not for billionaires, CEOs, or corporations that exploit loopholes and avoid paying their fair share while everyday families struggle to make ends meet. I’ve seen firsthand how hard people work just to stay afloat, and it’s unacceptable that the super-wealthy continue to benefit while the middle and working class are left behind. I’ll fight for an economy that serves the people, by supporting good paying jobs for our district, working to ensure everyone has access to affordable housing and healthcare, eliminating corporate welfare, and rewriting the tax code so it’s fair and equitable. It’s time to put people first and make government reflect that.

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Lived Experience Is Leadership: I’ve lived the reality that so many South Jersey families face. I’ve raised kids as a single mom, cared for aging parents, worked nights and weekends in retail, and navigated job loss and gaps in healthcare. I’ve had to stretch every dollar, fight for child support, and advocate for my family when systems failed us. These aren’t just stories, I lived them, and they shaped who I am. I understand the daily struggles because I’ve been there. That’s why I’m running: to bring real-world experience, empathy, and common-sense problem-solving to Congress. We need leaders who know what it’s like to struggle first-hand, not just talk about it from above.

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Real Representation, Not Political Theater – I’m not backed by PACs or wealthy donors, I’m backed by my firends and neighbors. I’m not a career politician, and I’m not using this as a stepping stone to higher office. I’m not in this for fifteen minutes of fame, clickable soundbites, or staged photo ops. I’m running because I care deeply about our community and believe government should reflect the people it serves. I show up, I listen, and I speak plainly. I believe in term limits for all federal elected officials, because no one should build a career on the backs of the people they serve. South Jersey deserves honest, transparent, and accountable leadership, and I’m committed to delivering that for every single person I represent.

Bayly Winder

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography:  "I’m Bayly Winder, a fourth-generation New Jerseyan and a Democrat running for Congress in New Jersey’s 2nd District because I believe our politics has lost its connection to everyday people and South Jersey deserves better. My career has been rooted in public service. I’ve worked at the U.S. State Department, advised the FBI on technology and national security issues, and most recently served at USAID as an Advisor to Administrator Samantha Power. In those roles, I saw how decisions made in Washington directly affect families back home — from healthcare costs to energy bills to whether small towns get a fair shot at economic growth. I’m running because I was frustrated by a system that rewards insiders while working families struggle. Too many politicians stay in office for decades, trade stocks, and cater to corporate donors while avoiding accountability. I don’t believe anyone should go to Congress to get rich or cling to power. I’m running to restore trust, bring integrity back to government, and fight for affordability, accountability, and opportunity across South Jersey. I’m not running to climb a political ladder — I’m running to serve my neighbors and deliver real results."

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Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

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Families in South Jersey are being crushed by high costs — healthcare, housing, energy, groceries, etc.- — while politicians argue and corporations cash in. I’m focused on lowering costs by standing up to monopolies, protecting Medicaid and Medicare, expanding energy assistance, and making sure federal investments actually benefit local communities. Economic growth should help working people, not just executives and lobbyists.

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For too long, South Jersey has been treated as an afterthought. I’ll fight to ensure our rural, coastal, and working-class communities get their fair share of federal investment. That means supporting good-paying, union-backed jobs, protecting farmland and water resources, and demanding that development projects serve local residents — not outside corporations. South Jersey deserves leadership that shows up, listens, and delivers.

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Washington is broken because too many politicians play by a different set of rules than everyone else. I’m running to restore trust by pushing for real ethics reform: banning stock trading by members of Congress, enforcing term limits, and ending backroom deals that shut out voters. Public office should be about service, not self-enrichment. I’ll call out corruption wherever it exists — in either party — and work to make government transparent, accountable, and worthy of public trust.

Voting information

See also: Voting in New Jersey

Election information in New Jersey: June 2, 2026, election.

What is the voter registration deadline?

• In-person: May 12, 2026
• By mail: Postmarked by May 12, 2026
• Online: May 12, 2025

Is absentee/mail-in voting available to all voters?

N/A

What is the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?

• In-person: June 1, 2026
• By mail: Received by May 26, 2026
• Online: May 26, 2026

What is the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?

• In-person: June 2, 2026
• By mail: Postmarked by June 2, 2026

Is early voting available to all voters?

Yes

What are the early voting start and end dates?

May 26, 2026 to May 31, 2026

Are all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, is a photo or non-photo ID required?

N/A

When are polls open on Election Day?

6:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. (ET)

Campaign finance

Name	Party	Receipts*	Disbursements**	Cash on hand	Date
Tim Alexander	Democratic Party	$36,711	$28,911	$7,800	As of December 31, 2025
Bill Finn	Democratic Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Evan Grollman	Democratic Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Zack Mullock	Democratic Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Terri Reese	Democratic Party	$9,007	$5,313	$1,974	As of December 31, 2025
Bayly Winder	Democratic Party	$451,845	$220,383	$231,462	As of December 31, 2025
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." ** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election. *** Candidate either did not report any receipts or disbursements to the FEC, or Ballotpedia did not find an FEC candidate ID.

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.

• District map
• Competitiveness
• Presidential elections
• State party control

Below is the district map in place for this election. Click the map below to enlarge it.

See also: Primary election competitiveness in state and federal government, 2026

Information about competitiveness will be added here as it becomes available.

Partisan Voter Index

See also: The Cook Political Report's 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 R+5. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 5 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made New Jersey's 2nd the 184th most Republican district nationally.

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.

2024 presidential results in New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District

Kamala Harris	Donald Trump
43.0%	56.0%

Presidential voting history

See also: Presidential election in New Jersey, 2024

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

See also: Party control of New Jersey state government

Congressional delegation

The table below displays the partisan composition of New Jersey's congressional delegation as of January 2026.

Congressional Partisan Breakdown from New Jersey
Party	U.S. Senate	U.S. House	Total
Democratic	2	8	10
Republican	0	3	3
Independent	0	0	0
Vacancies	0	1	1
Total	2	12	14

State executive

The table below displays the officeholders in New Jersey's top four state executive offices as of February 2026.

State executive officials in New Jersey, February 2026

Office	Officeholder
Governor	Mikie Sherrill
Lieutenant Governor	Dale Caldwell
Secretary of State	Dale Caldwell
Attorney General	Jennifer Davenport

State legislature

New Jersey State Senate

Party		As of January 2026
	Democratic Party	25
	Republican Party	15
	Other	0
	Vacancies	0
Total		40

New Jersey General Assembly

Party		As of January 2026
	Democratic Party	57
	Republican Party	23
	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

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	3/23/2026	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	6/2/2026	Source

See also

• New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District election, 2026 (June 2 Republican primary)
• New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District election, 2026
• United States House elections in New Jersey, 2026 (June 2 Democratic primaries)
• United States House elections in New Jersey, 2026 (June 2 Republican primaries)
• United States House Democratic Party primaries, 2026
• United States House Republican Party primaries, 2026
• United States House of Representatives elections, 2026
• U.S. House battlegrounds, 2026

External links

Suggest a link

• Search Google News for this topic

Footnotes

[show]

New Jersey's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Cory Booker (D)

Andrew Kim (D)

Representatives

District 1

Donald Norcross (D)

District 2

Jeff Van Drew (R)

District 3

Herbert Conaway (D)

District 4

Chris Smith (R)

District 5

Josh Gottheimer (D)

District 6

Frank Pallone (D)

District 7

Thomas Kean (R)

District 8

Robert Menendez (D)

District 9

Nellie Pou (D)

District 10

LaMonica McIver (D)

District 11

Vacant

District 12

Bonnie Coleman (D)

Democratic Party (10)

Republican Party (3)

Vacancies (1)

2025-2026 Elections to the United States Congress

Senate by State

Alabama • Alaska • Arkansas • Colorado • Delaware • Florida (special) • Georgia • Idaho • Illinois • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Montana • Nebraska • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • North Carolina • Ohio (special) • Oklahoma • Oregon • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Virginia • West Virginia • Wyoming

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House by State

Alabama • Alaska • American Samoa • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Guam • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Northern Mariana Islands • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • U.S. Virgin Islands • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming

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Election information

Ballot access for major and minor party candidates • List of candidates running for election • List of congressional challengers • Retiring senators • Retiring representatives

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Super PACs/Organizations

American Bridge 21st Century • American Crossroads • American Unity PAC • Campaign for Primary Accountability • Club for Growth Action • Congressional Leadership Fund • Cooperative of American Physicians IE Committee• Crossroads Generation • Ending Spending Action Fund • Endorse Liberty • Fair Share Action • FreedomWorks for America • Government Integrity Fund • House Majority PAC • Independence USA Fund • League of Conservation Voters • Liberty for All PAC • Majority PAC • National Association of Realtors • NEA Advocacy Fund • Now or Never PAC • Planned Parenthood Votes • Ready for Hillary • Republicans for a Prosperous America • Restore America's Voice PAC • SEIU Pea-Federal • Women Vote!

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