Trump Criticizes Sherrill as Early Voting Approaches in New Jersey

During a conference call on Friday, President Trump denounced New Jersey gubernatorial candidate Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D) as “false and corrupt,” while showing support for Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli ahead of the state’s early voting starting on Saturday.

“They call her Mikie, but really, aside from being awful, what does she have? An unusual name,” Trump remarked, as reported by a local newspaper.

He further commented on Sherrill’s energy policies, suggesting they would inflate costs and exacerbate New Jersey’s current financial issues. “It sounds innocent, but her plans will drive up prices, making New Jersey even pricier,” he said.

The president warned that the state could enter a “death spiral” under a Democrat’s governance.

In contrast, Trump lauded Ciattarelli for his initiatives aimed at reducing energy costs, calling him a “great candidate.” He insisted that “Jack is going to be an amazing guy, ready to cut your utility bills in half, while she’ll double them. Just on utilities, I think Jack has to win.”

After returning from an Asia trip, Trump stated, “I will go out to campaign for Mr. Jack.” He had previously endorsed Ciattarelli back in May.

In another development, the Department of Justice announced it would be deploying observers to polling stations in New Jersey and California during the upcoming elections.

Recent polling indicates that Sherrill currently leads Ciattarelli by 5 points; a Thursday release from the Rutgers University and Eagleton Poll showed her with 50% support from likely voters compared to Ciattarelli’s 45%. An additional 3% of respondents expressed no support for either candidate, while only 2% were undecided.

The survey revealed Trump’s significant influence, with 52% of voters identifying him as a “major factor” in the election, while about 34% said he had no impact.

Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin acknowledged earlier this month that New Jersey might be “the best place for Donald Trump to halt the Democratic momentum.” He noted, “It doesn’t matter to me if the performance shifts; my concern is winning.” Republicans, he added, remain optimistic about their chances in the state for various reasons. Ciattarelli had narrowly lost to current Governor Phil Murphy in 2021 by three points.