Lily Benavides is a Green Party candidate for the U.S. Senate in New Jersey. She was the Green Party nominee for New Jersey's 11th Congressional District in 2024 and previously served in the New Hampshire House of Representatives as a Democrat.

Born in Colombia in 1965, Benavides immigrated to the United States at age 24. She earned a high school diploma from the Colegio de Bachillerato Nuestra Señora del Rosario and attended Union County College. She began her political career as a Democrat, winning election to the New Hampshire House of Representatives in 2006. She served Hillsborough District 17 from 2007 to 2009 and introduced legislation to prohibit state and local law enforcement from enforcing federal immigration laws. She did not seek re-election in 2008, became an independent in 2014 and joined the Green Party in 2016.

Benavides moved to New Jersey and became active in the Green Party of New Jersey, serving as co-chair. She ran for the Parsippany-Troy Hills Board of Education in 2023 and lost. In 2024 she was the Green Party nominee for New Jersey's 11th Congressional District, receiving 4,780 votes. In August 2025 she was selected to replace Stephen Zielinski as the Green Party nominee for governor after he withdrew due to health issues. She withdrew from the gubernatorial race later that month when a petition challenge left her two signatures short of the 2,000 required for ballot access.

Political Career

- Member, New Hampshire House of Representatives, Hillsborough District 17 (2007–2009)
- Candidate, Parsippany-Troy Hills Board of Education (2023, unsuccessful)
- Candidate, U.S. House, New Jersey District 11 (2024, unsuccessful)
- Candidate, Governor of New Jersey (2025, withdrew)
- Candidate, U.S. Senate, New Jersey (2026)

Key Policy Areas

- Affordable housing and rent control
- Education funding and student debt elimination
- Military spending reduction and foreign policy
- Immigration reform
- Healthcare access and Medicare expansion
- Climate change and environmental protection

Notable Actions / Initiatives

- Introduced legislation in the New Hampshire House to prohibit state and local law enforcement from enforcing federal immigration laws.
- Received 4,780 votes as the Green Party nominee for New Jersey's 11th Congressional District in 2024.
- Was named the Green Party nominee for governor in 2025 after Stephen Zielinski withdrew due to health issues, then withdrew herself after a Democratic petition challenge invalidated enough signatures to leave her two short of ballot access.
- Pledged to refuse corporate and Super PAC contributions in all campaigns.

Education

- High school diploma, Colegio de Bachillerato Nuestra Señora del Rosario
- Attended Union County College

Personal

- Birth date: 1965
- Residence: Morris County