THE STEADY STATE ENDORSES SEVEN CANDIDATES IN NEW JERSEY FOR THE 2026 MIDTERMS
THE STEADY STATE ENDORSES SEVEN CANDIDATES IN NEW JERSEY FOR THE 2026 MIDTERMS
WASHINGTON — The Steady State, an organization of more than 420 former national security, intelligence, diplomatic, military, law enforcement, and homeland security officials, is today announcing seven endorsements for candidates running for Congress in New Jersey.
The Steady State today is announcing the endorsement of the Hon. Donald Norcross for New Jersey’s 1st Congressional District, Hon. Herb Conaway for New Jersey’s 3rd Congressional District, Hon. Josh Gottheimer for New Jersey’s 5th Congressional District, Rebecca Bennett for New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, Hon. Nellie Pou for New Jersey’s 9th Congressional District, Hon. LaMonica McIver for New Jersey’s 10th Congressional District, and Hon. Analilia Mejia for New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District.
Donald Norcross — New Jersey’s 1st Congressional District
Donald Norcross represents New Jersey’s First Congressional District and is a lifelong South Jersey resident. An electrician by trade and longtime union leader, he served in the New Jersey Legislature before being elected to Congress in 2014. In Congress, Norcross has built a strong defense and national security profile through his service on the House Armed Services Committee, including as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces, where his work has focused on servicemembers, military families, the defense industrial base, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, and allied security cooperation.
“Donald Norcross understands that national security depends on more than strategy on paper. It requires a professional military, a strong defense industrial base, and sustained support for the men and women who serve,” said Steven Cash, Executive Director of The Steady State.
Herb Conaway — New Jersey’s 3rd Congressional District
Herb Conaway represents New Jersey’s Third Congressional District and brings a background in medicine, law, military service, state legislative leadership, public health, and congressional defense oversight. A physician and attorney, Conaway served in the U.S. Air Force Medical Corps at McGuire Air Force Base, rising to the rank of Captain. Before Congress, he served for decades in the New Jersey General Assembly, including in legislative leadership, and also served as Burlington County health director. In Congress, his national-security profile is rooted in military medical experience, public-health executive leadership, and defense and veterans oversight.
“Herb Conaway brings an unusually broad record of public service to Congress. His experience in uniform, in medicine, in law, and in government gives him a practical understanding of what effective and accountable public institutions require,” said Steven Cash, Executive Director of The Steady State.
Josh Gottheimer — New Jersey’s 5th Congressional District
Josh Gottheimer represents New Jersey’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes parts of Bergen, Passaic, and Sussex counti
es. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard Law School, he worked in the Clinton White House, the Federal Communications Commission, and the private sector before being elected to Congress in 2016. In Congress, Gottheimer has built a strong national security and intelligence profile through his service on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, including as Ranking Member of the National Security Agency and Cyber Subcommittee, alongside his work on illicit finance, international financial institutions, cybersecurity, and bipartisan national security policy.
“Josh Gottheimer has developed a serious command of the intelligence, cyber, and financial threats facing the United States. That substantive experience and commitment to congressional oversight are exactly what responsible national security policymaking demands,” said Steven Cash, Executive Director of The Steady State.
Rebecca Bennett — New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District
Rebecca Bennett is running to represent New Jersey’s Seventh Congressional District after a career spanning military aviation, technology, and healthcare leadership. Bennett attended Cornell University on a Naval ROTC scholarship, studying chemical engineering, before beginning more than 15 years of military service. She served for over a decade in the U.S. Navy as an MH-60 Seahawk helicopter pilot and aircraft commander, graduated from flight school at the top of her class, and was selected for the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, where she became an experimental test pilot working on the evaluation of emerging aviation technologies. She continues to serve as an officer in the Air National Guard. Her background brings operational military leadership, technical and defense-innovation experience to her candidacy.
“Rebecca Bennett has spent her career in positions where sound judgment, technical competence, and personal responsibility are not abstractions. That experience would bring a valuable service-oriented perspective to Congress and to its national security responsibilities,” said Steven Cash, Executive Director of The Steady State.
Nellie Pou — New Jersey’s 9th Congressional District
Nellie Pou represents New Jersey’s Ninth Congressional District and was sworn into Congress in 2025 as the first Latina from New Jersey to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. Before entering Congress, she spent decades in public service, including serving in the New Jersey General Assembly, New Jersey State Senate, and senior municipal roles in the City of Paterson. In Congress, Pou has built a homeland security profile through her service on the House Homeland Security Committee, including the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence.
“Nellie Pou understands that homeland security requires capable institutions, serious oversight, and public servants who can be trusted to carry out their responsibilities professionally. Her experience makes her an important voice in that work,” said Steven Cash, Executive Director of The Steady State.
LaMonica McIver — New Jersey’s 10th Congressional District
LaMonica McIver represents New Jersey’s Tenth Congressional District and was sworn into Congress in 2024 as the first Black woman to represent NJ-10 and the youngest person ever elected to Congress from New Jersey. A graduate of Bloomfield College and Seton Hall University, she served on the Newark City Council, including as Council President, and worked in education, public affairs, and nonprofit leadership before being elected to the U.S. House. In Congress, McIver has built a homeland security profile through her service on the House Homeland Security Committee, where her work connects public safety, emergency preparedness, climate resilience, and the needs of communities across northern New Jersey.
“LaMonica McIver brings a grounded understanding of how federal institutions and public-safety decisions affect the communities they are meant to serve. Her work on Homeland Security reflects the kind of accountable and effective government The Steady State believes is essential,” said Steven Cash, Executive Director of The Steady State.
Analilia Mejia — New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District
Analilia Mejia represents New Jersey’s Eleventh Congressional District and is a lifelong organizer and advocate for working families. Born and raised in New Jersey as the daughter of Colombian and Dominican immigrants, she worked as a union organizer, led the New Jersey Working Families Alliance, served in the U.S. Department of Labor, and later helped lead Popular Democracy before being elected to Congress. In Congress, Mejia has begun building a homeland security profile through her service on the House Homeland Security Committee, alongside her work on affordability, labor protections, voting rights, anti-corruption, and support for New Jersey families.
“Analilia Mejia has spent her career focused on accountability, effective government, and ensuring that public institutions work for the people they serve. Her position on the Homeland Security Committee gives her an important opportunity to apply those principles to some of the federal government’s most consequential responsibilities,” said Steven Cash, Executive Director of The Steady State.
All these candidates demonstrate a consistent commitment to the rule of law, support nonpartisan oversight and accountability of the Executive Branch, exhibit a substantive understanding of the national security challenges facing the country, and uphold the democratic norms and ethical standards of public service that the organization’s criteria require.
About The Steady State
The Steady State is an organization of more than 420 former national security professionals committed to defending American democracy from rising authoritarian threats. Its members include former ambassadors and senior State Department officials, senior CIA, Defense officials, FBI and DHS leaders, USAID and NSC staff, and senior congressional staff from both Republican and Democratic administrations. See our endorsement criteria here.
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