Records indicate that New Jersey gubernatorial candidate Mikie Sherrill has missed over half of her votes in the House this year, significantly more than any other member.
This four-term House Democrat’s voting attendance has drastically declined since she began her campaign to succeed term-limited Gov. Phil Murphy late last year. Her Republican opponent, Jack Ciatarelli, has accused her of neglecting her responsibilities.
While others in the House also missed votes while campaigning, Sherrill’s absences stand out, according to the data. Since announcing her candidacy on November 18, 2024, she has participated in roughly 55% of votes. A tracker noted that this figure reflects significant House actions, excluding procedural votes.
She has skipped 53% of votes since the 119th Congress began earlier this year—totaling 145 House votes.
Her attendance is worse than that of Rep. Donald Norgros (D-N.J.), who has cast fewer than 83 votes this year.
A spokesperson for Ciatarelli’s campaign criticized Sherrill’s voting record. Kris Russell claimed that she pursued re-election knowing she wouldn’t fulfill her duties, pointing out her absence during key votes related to taxes and government funding.
He remarked, “It’s appalling that Sherrill has missed nearly 90% of her votes from July 23 to September 18 this year.”
Meanwhile, Sherrill’s campaign asserted that she remains dedicated to the voters, but did not specifically address her voting absenteeism.
Her communications director, Sean Higgins, defended her involvement in significant issues, such as the Gateway Tunnel project, which he claimed the Trump administration has hindered. The campaign also accused Ciatarelli of lacking the resolve to challenge his superiors in the White House.
Higgins added, “It’s not surprising that Jack hasn’t reached the mid-40s in the Fox News poll while voters are turning away from him on issues like healthcare and taxes.”
The competition between Sherrill and Ciatarelli is becoming more contentious as polls indicate a tight race.
Sherrill’s voter support has dropped 56% from April to June and 64% from July to September, according to Govtrack data.
Previous candidates aiming for higher office while serving in the House have also missed votes, but not to the extent Sherrill has. For instance, when Michigan Rep. Elissa Slotkin campaigned successfully for the Senate last year, she participated in 99% of congressional activities.
Last year, six other members focusing on Senate jobs voted in favor of at least 80% of bills, while only California Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff had a similarly poor record during his Senate run, with a 48% voting attendance.
