New Jersey 12th District
Bonnie Watson Coleman (D) is not running again. 4 candidates were on the ballot on November 3, 2026.
Who should win this race, and why?Say what you think. Other readers can answer you.Discuss
Adam Hamawy
Democrat · surgeon, retired Army Lt. Colonel
FLiberty Score F10 out of 100 across 6 principles. Graded on what Hamawy has said and done, because I have no votes in Congress to count for Hamawy.
Raised $1,993,157 since January 2025: 94% from people, 5% from PACs and other committees, 1% transfers and other income. The filing at FEC.gov
Gregg Mele
Republican · attorney and law professor, business background
ALiberty Score A100 out of 100 across 5 principles. Graded on what Mele has said and done, because I have no votes in Congress to count for Mele.
Raised $101,521 since January 2025: 53% the candidate’s own money, 44% from people, 3% from PACs and other committees. The filing at FEC.gov
Higher on Liberty Score: Gregg Mele. Gregg Mele: A, 100 out of 100 from words and actions, with no votes in Congress to count. Adam Hamawy: F, 10 out of 100 from words and actions, with no votes in Congress to count.
Voting in New Jersey: how to register, vote early or vote by mail. Election Day was November 3.
Side by side
A solid letter is a grade from recorded votes on that principle. An outlined letter is on the same scale, for a candidate with no votes: it comes from what that candidate has said and done, and every source is listed below.
Adam Hamawy, on the record
I have no votes in Congress to count for Hamawy, so the grade above comes from this list: what Hamawy has said and done on my principles. Each line has its source, and each is marked with the same test I use for votes.
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Called the war with the Islamic Republic illegal and immoral.
“It’s an illegal and immoral war that is not making us any safer”
- By the test I use for votes
- Against liberty
Condemning US military action against Iran follows the against rule.
-
Supports cutting off military aid to countries committing gross human rights violations, naming Israel.
“I support cutting off military aid to these countries, including Israel.”
- By the test I use for votes
- Against liberty
Cutting off weapons to Israel follows the against rule.
-
Described what he saw in Gaza as a genocide paid for with American tax dollars.
“What I witnessed was a genocide, paid for with American tax dollars and propped up by our foreign policy.”
- By the test I use for votes
- Against liberty
Calling Israel’s war genocide follows the against rule.
-
Said he will stand against attacks on journalists, media lawsuits, book bans and laws that criminalize peaceful protest.
“I will stand against politically motivated attacks on journalists, frivolous lawsuits designed to silence media outlets, book bans in our schools and libraries, and laws that criminalize peaceful protest.”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Opposing censorship and speech crimes follows the with rule.
-
Called for universal single-payer health care with no out-of-pocket costs.
“We need universal, single-payer healthcare with no out-of-pocket costs.”
- By the test I use for votes
- Against liberty
Government-run health care for all follows the against rule.
-
Said he will fight to tax wealth, not just income.
“I will fight to tax wealth, not just income.”
- By the test I use for votes
- Against liberty
A wealth tax follows the against rule.
-
Called for significantly cutting the Pentagon budget.
“It’s time to slash the bloated Pentagon budget and reprioritize what Congress spends our money on.”
- By the test I use for votes
- Against liberty
Cutting the defence budget follows the against rule.
-
Said ICE cannot be reformed and that the agency should be abolished.
“This agency, full of neo-Nazis at all ranks, cannot be reformed. But abolishing the agency is not enough.”
- By the test I use for votes
- Against liberty
Abolishing ICE follows the against rule.
-
Said undocumented people deserve an achievable path to citizenship.
“Millions of undocumented people have built their lives here. They deserve an achievable path to citizenship.”
- By the test I use for votes
- Against liberty
A path to citizenship for those here illegally follows the against rule.
Gregg Mele, on the record
I have no votes in Congress to count for Mele, so the grade above comes from this list: what Mele has said and done on my principles. Each line has its source, and each is marked with the same test I use for votes.
-
He said American military policy on Iran needs clear objectives and an end state, without naming a policy.
“American military policy needs clear objectives, accountability, and a strategy for achieving an end state”
- By the test I use for votes
- Not clear either way
A call for clear objectives with no deal, sanction or strike named does not settle the Iran measure.
-
His campaign's articles page sets out his position as opposing Hamas terrorism and rejecting moral equivalence between Israel and Hamas.
“Stand unequivocally with Israel, oppose Hamas terrorism and reject moral equivalence between a democratic ally defending civilians and a terrorist organization that targets them.”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Opposing Hamas is the 'against supporters of Hamas' side of tyranny.
-
At a candidates forum he said he supports Israel as an ally in the Middle East.
“I do support Israel as our ally in the Middle East”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Treating Israel as an ally is with liberty on free nations.
-
He said New Jersey's governor should accept the federal no tax on tips and overtime standard.
“we have a governor that won’t accept the no tax on tips, or overtime, or whatever was set as a federal standard”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Backing a named tax cut (no tax on tips and overtime) is with liberty on free markets.
-
He listed reducing unnecessary regulation among the things Washington needs to do.
“Washington needs to restrain spending, reduce unnecessary regulation, support American energy production”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Less regulation is with liberty on free markets.
-
His campaign's articles page says he supports a strong American defense alongside safeguards on humanitarian aid.
“Gregg supports humanitarian aid with safeguards, a strong American defense and moral clarity about the difference between an ally's right of self-defense and terrorism.”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Backing a strong defence is with liberty on defense.
-
He said he does not see how sanctuary policies are legal and that people who came in without vetting should be found and vetted.
“I don't see how sanctuary is legal”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Opposing sanctuary policies is the with side of the migration measure.
-
He defended ICE, saying it is doing what it did under earlier presidents.
“ICE is doing the same stuff they did under Obama and Bush and even Clinton”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Defending ICE enforcement is the with side of the migration measure.
-
He said immigration law should be enforced and the border secured while legal immigration is welcomed.
“We can welcome legal immigration while still enforcing our laws and securing our border”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Securing the border and enforcing the law is the with side of the migration measure.
Also on the ballot
Andres Jinete (Green), Winston Jordan (Independent).
Who is on the ballot: the state election offices, as listed on Wikipedia on November 3, 2026, checked against the candidate file of the Federal Election Commission. See a name that is wrong or missing? Say so in the discussion.
Who should win this race, and why?
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Discussion
New Jersey 12th District
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