After a closely fought campaign, Democrat Mikie Sherrill is projected to be New Jersey’s next governor.
Sherrill, who’s currently the U.S. representative for the state’s 11th Congressional District, on Tuesday night beat Republican Jack Ciattarelli in the Garden State. Her victory, in a race widely seen as an early referendum on the Republican agenda in Donald Trump’s second presidential term, is a blow for the GOP.
Sherrill quickly celebrated her win on social media, thanking voters in the state. ”I promise to listen, lead with courage, and never forget who I serve,” she wrote on Bluesky.
Sherrill had a slight lead over Ciattarelli in polls during the weeks leading up to the election, with many showing her leading him by a margin of only a few percentage points. Early voting also initially hinted at a positive outcome for Sherrill, with early in-person votes from registered Democrats outpacing those of registered Republicans.
In a race that was largely defined by affordability issues, both candidates sought to portray themselves as bringing fresh solutions to the table on issues including energy costs, school funding and property taxes.
