Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill is projected to become New Jersey’s next governor, defeating Republican Jack Ciattarelli, according to Decision Desk HQ.
Sherrill, a former Navy helicopter pilot and federal prosecutor, made headlines in 2018 when she flipped a Republican-held North New Jersey congressional district during a wave of Democrats elected amid President Donald Trump’s first term. Now, she is poised to become New Jersey’s second female governor and the state’s first Democratic woman to hold the office.
The governor’s race largely focused on key issues such as costs, affordability, and the influence of Trump. Ciattarelli, a former state lawmaker and three-time Republican gubernatorial candidate, has closely aligned himself with Trump in his past two runs for governor. Polls showed a tight race, with Sherrill maintaining a single-digit lead over Ciattarelli in the final stretch.
This New Jersey governor’s race was closely watched as a reflection of the national political climate nearly a year into Trump’s second term. While New Jersey has traditionally been solidly blue at the statewide level, the 2024 presidential election revealed a significant rightward shift, with Trump gaining considerable ground among working-class and non-White voters.
In 2021, Ciattarelli narrowly missed winning the governorship, coming just three points shy of defeating Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, who is now term-limited.
Sherrill’s background is notable: she graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1994 and was among the first class of women military pilots authorized to fly in all combat roles. She served nine years in the Navy before earning a law degree from Georgetown University. After years in private legal practice, she joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark, working initially as a community outreach manager and later as a prosecutor before launching her first congressional campaign.
Elected as part of a group of centrist Democrats with military and national security experience, Sherrill is among several members of this cohort who have advanced to prominent leadership roles or higher office. For example, Elissa Slotkin secured a U.S. Senate seat in Michigan in 2024, and former Rep. Abigail Spanberger is the Democratic nominee for governor in Virginia.
It is worth noting that the first woman governor of New Jersey was Republican Christine Todd Whitman, who served from 1994 to 2001. Sherrill’s upcoming tenure will mark a historic milestone as the state’s first Democratic female governor.
https://19thnews.org/2025/11/mikie-sherrill-new-jersey-governor/