Who's running in New Jersey's 12th congressional district
4 candidates are on the ballot. Below is what each one says they stand for, what they have actually done in office or in public life, and the arguments published for and against them — each quoted from a named source rather than summarised by us.
Medium confidenceMedium confidenceThe candidate's stated positions and basic record are documented, but coverage is thin — often little independent reporting, or criticism from only one side.What would raise it: More independent reporting, a documented voting record, or published criticism from a named opponent would raise this.
What they say they stand for
Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.
A complete arms embargo on Israel and an end to United States military aid, the central issue of his campaign.
Medicare for All and health care as a right, argued from his work as a surgeon.
Veterans' health care, drawn from his Army service.
Affordability — housing and household costs in Central Jersey.
Getting corporate and lobby money out of Democratic politics.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Plastic and reconstructive surgeon in Princeton; former United States Army combat surgeon.
Served two volunteer medical missions in Gaza, in 2024 and 2025.
Won the June 2, 2026 Democratic primary in a field of a dozen candidates, finishing about twelve points ahead of East Brunswick mayor Brad Cohen.
Testified in 1995 at the trial of Omar Abdel-Rahman, the cleric convicted that year on terrorism charges.
Has not held elected office.
Arguments in favor
He assembled a national progressive coalition unusual for a first-time candidate: Senators Bernie Sanders and Tammy Duckworth, more than a dozen House members including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Pramila Jayapal, Ro Khanna and Rashida Tlaib, and Minnesota attorney general Keith Ellison.
— Endorsements from the officials named
Nurses, academic staff and the state AFL-CIO backed him alongside a wide slate of issue organisations — National Nurses United, the Rutgers AAUP-AFT, the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Justice Democrats, Our Revolution, the Sunrise Movement, 314 Action, Giffords, CAIR Action, Emgage Action and Jewish Voice for Peace Action.
— Endorsements from the unions and organisations named
Arguments against
Jewish organisations and outlets covering the race have challenged his Israel positions as going beyond criticism of the war: he opposes United States funding for the Iron Dome missile defence system, backs a full arms embargo and supports a Palestinian right of return, and he has accused Israel of genocide in Gaza.
— Jewish Telegraphic Agency and The Forward reporting on the primary
During the primary he faced sustained attacks over his 1995 testimony at the trial of Omar Abdel-Rahman, the "Blind Sheikh" convicted of plotting terrorist attacks. His campaign called the line of attack "gross and bigoted" and "more desperate than ever."
— Reported by Jewish Telegraphic Agency and The Intercept during the 2026 Democratic primary
What we couldn’t verify
The Abdel-Rahman attacks were carried largely by right-wing outlets during the primary and The Intercept described them as an attempt to portray him as an Islamic extremist. What his 1995 testimony actually said was not established from the sources found. Hamawy says he finds antisemitism "abhorrent" and is "deeply worried about its continued rise."
Both criticisms come from the Democratic primary. No criticism of Hamawy by name from Gregg Mele, his campaign, or the National Republican Congressional Committee could be found.
The New Jersey State Building and Construction Trades Council declined to endorse in this race.
Parental rights in education — his main campaign theme, opposing schools withholding information about children from parents.
School choice and lower school administrative costs.
Lower taxes and support for small business.
Support for ICE and scepticism of sanctuary policies.
Personal and medical freedom over government mandates, and easier legal gun ownership.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Attorney practising corporate law, contracts, securities, real estate and estate planning; formerly worked on Wall Street; teaches graduate courses in law and economics.
Has run for public office seven times, previously as an independent and as a Libertarian, in different districts.
Won the June 2, 2026 Republican primary unopposed.
Endorsed by the Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset county Republican organisations.
Says ICE is "doing the same stuff they did under Obama and Bush and even Clinton" and that he does not "see how sanctuary is legal."
Supports United States military action against Iran but opposes deploying troops absent an imminent threat.
Arguments in favor
All three county Republican organisations in the district — Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset — endorsed him, and he was unopposed for the nomination after his only potential rival withdrew.
— Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset county Republican organisation endorsements
He is the only candidate in the race who has argued the conservative case here in detail on the record, sitting for a long issue-by-issue interview with the Daily Princetonian on immigration, schools, the economy and foreign policy.
— The Daily Princetonian interview, April 2026
Arguments against
New Jersey Globe frames his candidacy as a return rather than a rise: this is his seventh unsuccessful bid for office, run across different districts and under three different party labels — independent, Libertarian and now Republican.
— New Jersey Globe and The Daily Princetonian
Every forecaster rates the seat safe or solid Democratic — Bonnie Watson Coleman won it by more than twenty points in 2024 — and reporting on the race treated the Democratic primary, not the general election, as the contest that would decide it.
— Cook Political Report, Sabato's Crystal Ball and Decision Desk HQ ratings; New Jersey Globe and CNN coverage of the primary
What we couldn’t verify
No Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee material naming Mele was found, and no criticism of him from Adam Hamawy or his campaign.
No fundraising figures for his campaign were found in the material available.
A domain closely matching his campaign name, meleforcongress.com, is not his and now serves unrelated commercial content; his campaign site is mele4america.com.
Green Party priorities on climate and grassroots democracy.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Community organiser and progressive activist; lives in Bound Brook.
Green Party nominee for this district; on the ballot in Mercer, Middlesex, Somerset and Union counties.
Survived a ballot challenge brought by independent candidate Winston Jordan, who then dropped it.
Has not held elected office.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
No published criticism of Jinete by name could be found — the ballot challenge against him was withdrawn and no campaign, party committee or news outlet has argued against him — and no published case for him beyond his own campaign material. Because no case against him exists on the record, none is presented for him either.
New Jersey Globe describes both his and Winston Jordan's campaigns as longshots.
No fundraising figures, endorsements or polling for his campaign were found.
Getting money out of politics, the single organising idea of his campaign.
Refusing all campaign contributions — corporate, PAC and individual alike.
Government transparency.
Reducing the influence of lobbyists on legislation.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
IT project manager; lives in Lambertville.
Runs what he describes as the first zero-donor congressional campaign, accepting no money from anyone and self-funding.
Brought a ballot challenge against Green Party candidate Andres Jinete and then dropped it.
Has not held elected office.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
No published criticism of Jordan by name could be found — not from any opposing campaign, party committee, or Mercer, Middlesex, Somerset or Union county news outlet — and no published case for him beyond his own campaign material. Because no case against him exists on the record, none is presented for him either.
New Jersey Globe describes his campaign as a longshot.
By design his campaign reports no fundraising; no endorsements were found.
Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.
New Jersey held its primary on June 2, 2026. This is an open seat: Bonnie Watson Coleman, who has held it since 2015, withdrew from the race. Four candidates appear on the November ballot: Democrat Adam Hamawy, Republican Gregg Mele, Green Party candidate Andres Jinete and independent Winston Jordan under the slogan "Get Money Out." The roster is confirmed against the New Jersey Division of Elections official general election candidate list dated September 4, 2026. The district covers much of Central Jersey, taking in Trenton, Princeton and Plainfield; forecasters rate it safe or solid Democratic. Hamawy won a sixteen-candidate Democratic primary and the race drew national attention because he centred it on Gaza.
This is one contest on a longer ballot
A New Jersey ballot also carries state legislative districts, county offices, judicial seats and often local questions — and which of them you vote on is decided by your street address, not your city or ZIP code.
Your ballot is determined by your election authority, not by us. Verify your registration, precinct, and sample ballot at New Jersey Division of Elections.