‘A fighter in Congress’: Rep. Analilia Mejia in her first interview since being sworn in

[0:00] Moments ago, House Speaker Mike Johnson swore in Democratic Congresswoman Annalilia Mejia [0:05] five days after she cruised to victory in New Jersey's 11th district. [0:11] For those counting, that's 45 fewer days than it took Johnson to swear in Congresswoman Adelita [0:16] Grijalva. Mejia, an unabashed progressive, won the race by 20 points. That's a larger margin [0:24] than both former Congresswoman-turned-New Jersey Governor Mike Sherrill and former Vice President [0:30] Kamala Harris, earned in the district in 2024. And it's yet another warning sign for Republicans [0:37] ahead of the midterms. And Congresswoman Annalilia Mejia joins us now. [0:43] Congresswoman, first of all, congratulations. Welcome to the table. Thank you so much for being [0:48] here. As Jackie said, we're not accustomed to people getting ushered in through the door quite [0:54] this quickly. This is a bit of a surprise. That was nice. So now you are there. Tell us [1:01] sort of your first impressions of this Congress. Well, it was what a warm welcome to receive from [1:08] my future colleagues. And I'm just thrilled to be able to have the honor and the privilege to [1:13] represent the great people of New Jersey's 11th congressional district. I'm glad to get seated [1:18] as quickly as I have and to get to work because my constituents are are very concerned about what [1:24] they're seeing not only in our economy, but our democracy. And I'm here to represent them. [1:30] Congresswoman, it is quite an important, I think, political feat. It's an enormously important [1:36] political feat to win that district, given the composition of the district, to win it by 20 points. [1:42] So you've had a lot of movements among the electorate there in your backyard. [1:47] You have to run for this seat again, correct? I do. Yes. [1:52] Yeah. This fall. I have eight weeks. [1:54] You have eight weeks. And so I celebrate with you today because I really do applaud the achievement [2:00] because as a former chairman, I respect that. I respect you came to the game. You did it right. [2:05] You played it smart. They came at you and they're going to come at you again. There was, [2:11] though, you know, given some of the nature of the district, some voters who were like, [2:15] you know, just didn't want the Republicans at the table. How do you how do you now turn that [2:22] corner, flip that switch to make sure you get to keep this seat this November and be able to [2:32] continue the work that you hopefully will start like 10 minutes from now when you get back in on the [2:39] floor? How do you see that transition for you, given that you're, you know, unlike a lot of your [2:45] colleagues, you've just had an election and you've got another one coming right at you. [2:50] Yeah, well, I'll say that, you know, I knocked on doors. I spoke to many, many of my future [2:55] constituents or my current constituents, and I heard the same thing over and over again. Folks are very [3:01] concerned about affordability. Folks are concerned about the Democratic backslide. That is very evident [3:06] to them. And they wanted to send a fighter to Congress. It wasn't so much about left or right. [3:11] What they wanted was someone that understood the difference between right and wrong. And so I know [3:17] that I am going to continue talking to my constituents, letting them know that I am not [3:24] only ready to face their needs or to advocate for their needs in the halls of Congress, but that I will [3:30] be in my district making sure that I'm sharing information, that I am supporting them, that I am [3:34] meeting their needs, that I am addressing their concerns. And I believe that that will carry us to [3:39] victory in June and again in November. Congresswoman, just on that topic, what are [3:46] your legislative priorities during these eight weeks? Well, first and foremost, getting my footing [3:54] and hitting the ground running. I want to make sure that I am attuned to the issues that are impacting us [4:01] most today. Affordable housing is a serious issue in our district and across America. The truth is that [4:08] most people are paying in this moment in one year, there has been a 5% increase in my district in [4:15] terms of housing, a 6% increase in terms of energy costs and 175% increase in health care costs. So my [4:26] constituents, like many Americans, are eager to get affordability back under control. We also are very [4:34] concerned about the Democratic backslide and the overreach of the executive, the fact that the [4:39] president has attempted over and over again. And sadly, it succeeded to circumvent Congress, whether [4:46] it comes to the power of the purse or war. And I'm glad to represent the people of New Jersey's 11th to [4:52] fight for, to restore the balance in our government. The fact is, our government is supposed to be a [4:58] three-legged stool. And the president has been actively undermining, undermining it since he's [5:03] been back in office. We have to get together and stop this. My fellow Jersey girl, I was reporting [5:09] from our home state, um, last November and speaking with folks on all of the campaigns. And the thing I [5:15] heard, especially from the Cheryl campaign was sort of this start with the economy and then pivot to [5:21] democracy. What I found interesting about your messaging is that's not exactly how you're playing it. [5:25] You are actually connecting the dots on the two. You're not treating them as though they're separate [5:30] issues. And I wonder if based on your own experience campaigning, talking with voters, [5:36] really selling that message door to door, if you think there is something that Democrats [5:40] nationwide can learn from your victory. I think so. Look, I, on the campaign trail, [5:47] I, as an organizer, as someone that trains leaders across the country, here's the thing that I've been [5:52] sharing with folks. We have to understand that an authoritarian is quite simply a corrupt politician [5:58] who has gotten a taste for stealing from the American people and they want to keep the grift going. [6:05] And oligarchs are just corporate interests who have gotten a taste for stealing from their workers, [6:11] from their consumers, from the American people, and they want to keep the grift going. And both parties, [6:17] both of those entities share a common enemy, an informed electorate. So as a representative, [6:23] my job is not only to represent the people of New Jersey in these great halls, but it's also to come [6:28] back home and make sure that people have the information they need to make the concrete demands [6:33] that they deserve to make if they're going to be active participants in self-governance. [6:38] There is no difference. There is no distance, in fact, between protecting our democracy and having [6:44] the mechanisms to create policy that represent us best. In order for us to be able to be active [6:51] participants in self-governance, we have to have, retain and restore the integrity of our democratic [6:58] institutions. So democracy and good policymaking goes hand in hand.