J-L Cauvin is a community advocate, lawyer, and comedian who is running as a Democrat to succeed Governor-Elect Mikie Sherrill and represent New Jersey’s 11th District in Congress.
J-L is running because what’s happening right now in Washington is far from funny, and Democrats must send representatives to Congress who are ready for the fight we are in today. It’s time to move on from the stale state party insiders and failed politicians who have already demonstrated they are not willing or able to meet this moment.
J-L’s story is a reflection of the American Dream. He is the second son of an Irish-Catholic mother and an immigrant father from Haiti, born into a middle-income family in New York City. He demonstrated an early interest in public expression and leadership as a writer and editor-in-chief for his high school newspaper. J-L then pursued a degree in history at Williams College, where he played varsity basketball and hosted a radio and comedy program.
J-L would earn his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C.
As a young man, J-L returned to home to serve as an Assistant District Attorney, representing the people of his community and working directly with victims, families, and community members to ensure that justice was applied fairly to all.
Today, J-L continues his legal career by advocating on behalf of vulnerable local residents facing eviction and other serious hardships, fighting to guarantee that individuals and families have access to support, representation, and a fair chance in the legal system.
Alongside legal work, J-L has built a national audience as a stand-up comedian and impressionist, with his humor going viral during the chaos of Donald Trump’s first term. In the tradition of American satirists like the great Will Rogers, J-L built a community of millions by bringing needed levity to some of our darkest days, speaking truth to power while still keeping us civically engaged.
The community J-L has built will put him in a unique position as a Representative to speak from a nationwide platform on behalf of the residents of NJ-11.
J-L represents a new approach, breaking away from the stale politics that have left Democrats on their heels over the first year of Trump’s second administration. He is ready for the moment, and ready to fight on behalf of the residents of New Jersey’s 11th District.