🗞️ New Jersey Political and Policy News — March 2026
🗳️ Special Election in NJ‑11: New York Post Endorses Joe Hathaway
The New York Post has issued an editorial endorsement in the upcoming special election for New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District, backing Republican candidate Joe Hathaway. The April 16 election was triggered by Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s resignation from the House following her election as governor.
In its endorsement, the Post characterized Democratic nominee Analilia Mejia as a “radical, antisemitic socialist” and described Hathaway, the mayor of Randolph, as a “sensible centrist.” The editorial marks the first major newspaper endorsement in the race.
(New Jersey Globe | New York Post via MSN) [newjerseyglobe.com] [msn.com]
⚽ World Cup Security Funding Delays Raise Concerns in New Jersey
More than $625 million in federal funding allocated by Congress for security at FIFA World Cup host cities has not yet been distributed, raising concerns among state and local officials with the tournament now less than four months away.
Rep. Nellie Pou (D‑N.J.), a member of the House Homeland Security Committee whose district includes MetLife Stadium, says the Department of Homeland Security missed its Jan. 30 target date for releasing the funds and is intentionally withholding the money for political reasons. DHS officials have cited an ongoing funding impasse and partial department shutdown as the reason for the delay.
New Jersey is scheduled to host eight World Cup matches, including the final on July 19, 2026. Local officials say the funding is critical for staffing, crowd control, emergency response, and security infrastructure.
(Front Office Sports | USA Today) [frontoffic...sports.com] [usatoday.com]
🏥 Senate Panel Advances Raynard Washington as Health Commissioner
Raynard Washington, Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s nominee to lead the New Jersey Department of Health, was unanimously approved by a state Senate panel following a hearing that covered hospital funding, healthcare costs, vaccine policy, and anticipated federal funding reductions.
Washington, an epidemiologist from North Carolina, told lawmakers the state faces uncertainty due to potential federal healthcare funding cuts and policy changes under the Trump administration. His nomination now moves to a full Senate vote.
(National Today | New Jersey Monitor) [nationaltoday.com] [newjerseymonitor.com]
🏛️ Congress and New Jersey’s Senate Delegation
📚 Sen. Andy Kim Introduces Civics Education Resolution
Sen. Andy Kim (D‑N.J.) introduced a resolution to establish an annual Senate academic civics competition for secondary school students. The resolution cites declining civics assessment scores and survey data showing that one in six adults cannot name the three branches of government.
The resolution has been referred to the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration.
(Congress.gov – S.Res. 639)
🚰 Sen. Cory Booker Introduces Rural Water Infrastructure Bill
Sen. Cory Booker (D‑N.J.) introduced legislation to amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to expand funding for rural decentralized water and wastewater systems.
The bill would increase loan and grant caps and allow funds to cover performance warranties for decentralized wastewater systems. A similar bill failed to advance in a previous Congress. The new bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
(Congress.gov – S.4096)
🧠 Multiple Civics Bills Introduced by Sen. Andy Kim
On March 11 alone, Sen. Kim introduced several civics‑focused measures, including:
A bill to expand American history and civics education programs
A proposal to create a congressional commission on American civics renewal
A bill to authorize arts and humanities funding for civic education
A resolution establishing an annual Senate academic civics competition
All measures have been referred to relevant Senate committees for consideration.
✅ Senate Vote Update
On March 11, the Senate approved a substitute amendment to H.R. 6644 by an 84–10 vote.
Sen. Cory Booker: Present
Sen. Andy Kim: Yes
(Congress.gov – S.Amdt. 4308)
🚆 Transportation Update: Portal North Bridge Opens for Regular Service
The new Portal North Bridge officially entered full weekday passenger service on March 16, restoring normal NJ Transit schedules after several weeks of disruptions tied to the project’s “cutover” phase.
The bridge replaces the aging 116‑year‑old Portal swing bridge over the Hackensack River, a major bottleneck on the Northeast Corridor shared by NJ Transit and Amtrak. Unlike the old bridge, the new fixed‑span structure does not need to open for marine traffic, allowing for more reliable service and higher operating speeds.
Transit officials say a second track will be transferred to the new bridge later this fall, further improving reliability for the roughly 200,000 daily riders who use the corridor.
(CBS News | Gothamist) [cbsnews.com] [gothamist.com]
