Democrats aim to keep their special election gains going: From the Politics Desk

From the Politics DeskDemocrats aim to keep their special election gains going: From the Politics DeskPlus, Reps. Eric Swalwell and Tony Gonzales officially resign. Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Add NBC News to GoogleKornacki: New Jersey Democrats look to build on ‘clear’ trend of overperforming in special elections04:14Get more newsLiveonShareAdd NBC News to GoogleApril 14, 2026, 5:10 PM EDTBy The Politics DeskWelcome to From the Politics Desk, a daily newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team’s latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.In today’s edition, Steve Kornacki looks ahead to the next special House election on the calendar. Plus, our Capitol Hill team reports on the resignations of two members of Congress. Sign up to receive this newsletter in your inbox every weekday here.— Adam WollnerDemocrats aim to keep their special election success going in New JerseyAnalysis by Steve KornackiThursday will bring another special House election, this time in New Jersey’s 11th District. And unless there’s an abrupt break from what has become the norm in President Donald Trump’s second term, Democrats will win by a very wide margin.Even in a neutral environment, the seat that was held by Gov. Mikie Sherrill would be expected to remain in Democratic hands. The district, which spans the suburbs of Morris and west Essex counties, voted for Kamala Harris by 9 points.But lately, the environment has been anything but neutral. In every single special House election since Trump’s return to the White House, Democrats have posted substantial net-improvements compared with the 2024 White House result.In six specials, the smallest Democratic overperformance compared with 2024 has been 13 points, while the biggest was 25. The average has been 18 points. If form holds, it would mean that New Jersey’s 11th...