In the race for governor of New Jersey, Democrat Mikie Sherrill is currently ahead of Republican Jack Ciattarelli, based on a recent poll.
According to a Fox News survey released on Tuesday, conducted by Beacon Research and Shaw & Company Research, Sherrill leads Ciattarelli by 7 points, securing 48% of voter support compared to Ciattarelli’s 41%. An additional 8% of respondents indicated they would vote for another candidate. Interestingly, among likely voters, Sherrill’s margin widened to 8 points, with 50% supporting her versus 42% for Ciattarelli.
Both candidates are vying to succeed current Governor Phil Murphy, a Democrat, in next month’s election.
Ciattarelli aims to break historical trends that often challenge his party in off-cycle elections. Historically, Democrats have performed well at the polls since Trump’s presidency began, particularly during midterms and off-year elections.
On the other side, Sherrill is also in a strong position, especially since New Jersey hasn’t elected a governor from the same party consecutively since the early 1960s.
The poll indicates that Governor Murphy enjoys a higher approval rating—47% to 42%—compared to Trump, who has a disapproval rating of 55% versus Murphy’s 48%.
While the latest polls suggest Sherrill maintains a solid lead over Ciattarelli, the Emerson College, PIX11, and The Hill survey released last week shows both candidates tied at 43%, with 11% still undecided. Notably, Trump has higher name recognition than Murphy but also faces greater disapproval among voters.
This gubernatorial race is seen as reflective of sentiments in Virginia and may illustrate voters’ feelings towards Trump and the current economic situation. However, the quality of the candidates and local issues play a significant role in both races.
The Fox News poll was conducted from September 25th to September 28th, surveying 1,002 registered voters in New Jersey, with a subsample of 822 likely voters. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.
