Nearly a dozen Democrats jump into the race for Mikie Sherrill's House seat

New Jersey Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill’s victory in the governor’s election this month left behind a now-vacant congressional district — and at least 11 Democrats have lined up for the chance to fill it

New Jersey Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill’s victory in the governor’s election this month left behind a now-vacant congressional district — and at least 11 Democrats have lined up for the chance to fill it.

Among them are a former congressman running to represent a different district from the one he once represented, a county commissioner endorsed by the sitting governor, a young progressive activist, a lieutenant governor and handful of local leaders hoping to jump into the national political scene.

The crowded primary is another microlevel battle in the national debate over the future of the Democratic Party — from who its leaders are to what policies it puts at the forefront to what divides its primaries.

On Friday, Gov. Phil Murphy, D-N.J., set an official date for the special election of April 16. The primary will be Feb. 5.

Murphy, who has endorsed Essex County Commissioner Brendan Gill, told NBC News on Friday that the candidates represent “a field with a lot of talent, a lot of folks we know and admire, but Brendan stands out to me."