On Tuesday, Democrat Mikie Sherrill from New Jersey emerged victorious against Republican Jack Ciattarelli in the gubernatorial race, as reported by various media outlets.
Sherrill secured 56.7% of the votes, while Ciattarelli garnered 42.8%, marking a decisive win for her shortly after 9:30 p.m. ET. The report highlighted that she was expected to succeed the term-limited Governor Phil Murphy, who had narrowly lost to Ciattarelli in 2021.
Throughout the campaign, Sherrill maintained a steady lead. As the election neared, the polls indicated that the margin was narrowing, with the Suffolk University poll showing a 4-point lead for Ciattarelli, followed by a 2-point lead in the Emerson College poll, and an 8-point lead in the Quinnipiac University poll.
Notably, Ciattarelli had the backing of former President Donald Trump, who endorsed him during the primaries and campaign. On the eve of the election, Trump made a call rallying New Jersey voters to support Ciattarelli.
As Election Day approached and the competition intensified, Sherrill’s campaign called upon national Democratic officials for support. Former President Barack Obama even made an appearance at a rally for Sherrill in Newark, emphasizing that Sherrill’s victory could serve as a positive model for the nation.
Additionally, Pete Buttigieg, the former Secretary of Transportation, campaigned for Sherrill just a week before the election.
Sherrill garnered attention earlier in the campaign over her past at the Naval Academy, where she was reportedly banned from her graduating ceremony due to a cheating scandal involving a colleague. Ciattarelli attempted to leverage this incident against her, claiming she built her political reputation while hiding her past. In response, Democratic officials criticized Ciattarelli for his tactics, framing them as part of a larger strategy to undermine military service.
Sherrill also made headlines for her political stance, notably choosing not to weigh in on the New York mayoral race, instead focusing on New Jersey issues.
As voter turnout neared, the Regional Planning Association found that a significant number of workers commuting to New York City came from New Jersey, which further intertwined the two states’ political landscapes.
In the 2024 election, New Jersey saw a shift as Democratic candidate Kamala Harris won by a narrower margin of just under 6 points, indicating a notable change from previous election cycles. This shift could be attributed partly to Trump’s growing support among Hispanic and Latino voters in the state.
Ciattarelli, who previously served in the New Jersey State Assembly, made headlines in 2021 when he nearly unseated Governor Murphy. His persistent efforts began in 2017 when he first ran for the governor’s mansion but did not succeed in the primaries.
Both gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia, taking place on the same day, were seen as important political contests during President Trump’s second term.
This story is still developing, and further updates will follow.
