Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair)’s ongoing campaign for governor has stuck local ambitious Democrats in an unusual limbo: while a number of local politicians are preparing potential campaigns for Sherrill’s 11th congressional district, few are willing to actually enter the race in case Sherrill loses in November.
One newcomer, though, isn’t waiting. Anna Lee Williams, a self-described community advocate and Rutgers alumna, launched her campaign for the district’s Democratic nomination today, saying that voters deserve a “Fair Deal” on housing, health care, education, and more.
“I’m not a politician,” Williams said in a press release. “I’m a normal person who understands what it’s like to worry about rent, about healthcare, about whether your parents, or even you, can afford to retire. This campaign is about delivering a Fair Deal to the people who keep our communities running, but are getting squeezed from every direction.”
Williams – a corporate social responsibility and engagement manager for a digital music company, per her LinkedIn – was raised in South Plainfield, and now lives in Morristown. She said she has also done past advocacy work with groups like Make the Road NJ and Vietnamese Boat People.
Though she officially launched her campaign today, Williams first filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission more than a month ago; she reported raising $5,025 during the second quarter of 2025, $5,000 of which was self-funded.
Three prominent potential Democratic candidates for the 11th district have publicly expressed interest in running in a 2026 special election if Sherrill wins the governor’s race: former Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-Ringoes), Morris Township Committeeman Jeff Grayzel, and Chatham Councilman Justin Strickland. Other prominent names, among them Essex County Commissioner Brendan Gill (D-Montclair) and Passaic County Commissioner John Bartlett (D-Wayne), are looking at the race as well.
Williams, though, is the first candidate to enter the race regardless of this November’s results. Her campaign told the New Jersey Globe that while she hopes Sherrill is elected governor, she intends to continue running for the 11th district even if the congresswoman loses.
This story was updated at 10:37 a.m. on July 22 with information from Williams’s campaign on her plans if Sherrill loses the governor’s race.
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