New Jersey Gubernatorial Race Tightens
With the New Jersey gubernatorial election looming on Tuesday, Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli and Democratic candidate Rep. Mikie Sherrill find themselves in a very close race.
An Atlas Intel poll conducted from October 25 to October 30, 2025, surveying 1,639 voters in New Jersey, revealed that 50.2% planned to vote for Sherrill, while 49.3% favored Ciattarelli. The margin of error for this poll stands at plus or minus 2 percentage points.
Interestingly, the poll highlighted that Sherrill enjoys a significant lead among female voters, securing 58.7%, whereas Ciattarelli has the backing of 59.3% of men, with only 40.6% support from women.
When looking at party lines, Sherrill gained 94.7% support from Democrats but only 3.5% from Republicans. Conversely, Ciattarelli found backing from 96.2% of Republicans and a mere 4.7% from Democrats.
As the race intensifies, Sherrill is facing some negative press. She has been under fire for being barred from walking with Naval Academy graduates over a cheating scandal, which is impacting her approval ratings.
Recent reports indicate that her approval ratings have struggled in light of controversies, including voting to condemn the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, which drew ire from both conservative and liberal voters.
Another poll, conducted by Emerson College and others, showed both candidates with approval ratings stuck at 43%, while 11% of voters were still undecided. There seems to be a concerning trend, as more Republicans than Democrats have returned their early ballots.
Interestingly, Ciattarelli has garnered support from some Democrats, like Branchville City Councilman Jeff Lewis, who publicly criticized Sherrill, stating she isn’t the right choice for governor. Lewis remarked on the reliance of Sherrill’s campaign on her persona as a helicopter pilot and mother.
In a noteworthy move, Garfield Mayor Everett E. Garnt Jr. recently announced his departure from the Democratic Party to endorse Ciattarelli.
Ciattarelli highlighted the trend of Democratic support for Republican candidates as an encouraging sign, expressing optimism about his chances in the election. He mentioned the challenges Sherrill faced in fundraising and indicated that these circumstances reflect a shift towards his campaign.
“We are receiving support from notable Democrats, which means we are on the right track,” Ciattarelli asserted. “Have you seen the recent polls? They’re quite promising for us.”
