New Jersey Democrat’s Ad Aiming at Hispanic Voters Is So Awkward, You Might Want to Look Away

Sherrill Releases Spanish-Language Video

New Jersey Democratic Representative Mikie Sherrill shared a video featuring a Spanish-language advertisement on Tuesday, acknowledging her own limited proficiency in Spanish both in the video and her accompanying post.

According to RealClearPolling, Sherrill is currently ahead of Republican candidate Jack Ciatarelli by 4 percentage points, based on a poll conducted between September 22 and October 15. In her post on “X,” which was also broadcast in Spanish, Sherrill emphasized her strong affection for New Jersey’s Hispanic community, despite her language limitations. “My Spanish may not be the best, but my love for New Jersey’s Latino community is so strong,” she stated.

“Hello, New Jersey. My Spanish isn’t very good, but I want to speak directly to the Latinx community,” Sherrill mentioned during the 34-second ad, pausing to incorporate some Spanish. She introduced herself as a candidate for governor, highlighting her background as a Navy pilot and former federal prosecutor, and talked about her family’s experiences with the high cost of living in the state.

However, Sherrill’s lead over Ciatarelli has lessened since recent discussions about her past involvement in a Naval Academy cheating scandal. Although she earned her commission and served as a helicopter pilot, she was not permitted to attend the graduation ceremonies.

Democrats appear to be anxious that Sherrill, who has served four terms in Congress, might lose traction among Hispanic voters—especially after President Donald Trump secured a significant portion of that demographic in the 2024 elections. Trump reportedly attracted 46% of the Hispanic vote, along with 40% of the Asian vote and 13% of the Black vote, as indicated by CNN exit polls.

In pre-2024 election polling, Trump has garnered considerable support from Hispanic voters, frequently addressing issues around immigration and the economy. Past attempts by other Democrats to connect with Hispanic votes have sometimes faced criticism; for instance, in July 2022, then-first lady Jill Biden made a controversial comment equating Hispanic voters to “breakfast tacos” during a luncheon. Last year, she also stumbled over a Spanish phrase during a campaign appearance.