Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) won the New Jersey gubernatorial race on Tuesday, defeating Republican Jack Ciattarelli, the third time he’s lost a bid for governor of the blue state.
The Associated Press called the race for Sherrill at 9:23 p.m., over an hour after the polls closed. Sherrill won with 56.9% of the vote to Ciattarelli’s 42.5% at the time the race was called.
At her election watch party Tuesday night, Sherrill said she is “incredibly honored” to serve as the next governor.
“I love you. I fought for you. I’ve spoken with thousands of you over this last year. I know your struggles, I know your hopes, I know your dreams. So serving you is worth any tough fight I have to take on,” she said to cheering supporters.
Sherrill’s win caps off a competitive battle between the candidates, with the congresswoman successfully holding on to her narrow lead. Though Ciattarelli trailed Sherrill in the polls for much of the general election season, as of last week, an Emerson College poll found the candidates locked in a dead heat.
But Sherrill entered election week with an average lead of 3.3 points, per RealClearPolitics, and gathered enough support from voters to maintain her narrow advantage. Her victory aligns with a trend in the state, where voters have elected a governor from the opposite party of the president in the White House every election from 1989 to 2017.
At his watch party, Ciattarelli conceded the election.
“Moments ago, I called and congratulated Mikie Sherrill and gave her my very best wishes,” Ciattarelli said, interrupted by boos and jeers, with supporters yelling that Sherrill “sucks.”
“It is my hope that Mikie Sherrill has heard us, in terms of what we need to do to make New Jersey that place where everybody can once again feel they can achieve their American dream,” the Republican added.
Sherrill acknowledged that Ciattarelli called her at her victory party: “I want to recognize him for stepping up.”
She continued to list her priorities, including declaring a state of emergency “on Day One” to reduce utility costs, holding the government accountable, and addressing the mental health crisis.
“Thank you to everyone who’s joined me in fighting for a better future,” Sherrill said. “I know these are tough times. I know not everyone voted for me, but I’m working for everyone, every single one of you. When we all do better, we all do better.”
In the weeks leading up to her victory, Sherrill held several rallies across the state. She spoke to voters on Tuesday morning as she arrived to vote in her hometown of Montclair, and held a large rally in Essex County on Saturday featuring her fellow House Democrats, Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), and former President Barack Obama.
Big names were a staple of Sherrill’s last campaign days, with Booker and Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), as well as Democratic National Committee chairman Ken Martin, holding rallies for the congresswoman as she sought to maintain her razor-thin lead over Ciattarelli.
Sherrill’s win is a victory for Obama, in particular, who has stepped back into the political fray. The race in New Jersey and a gubernatorial race in Virginia, also held Tuesday, were tests to see whether he still has considerable influence over the Democratic electorate.
The congresswoman’s win is also a severe blow to President Donald Trump, who endorsed Ciattarelli. The New Jersey governor’s race is one of the first major contests after the 2024 election, serving as a temperature check on the GOP trifecta and its agenda in Washington.
Although New Jersey has historically been a blue state, Republicans invested millions in this race behind Ciattarelli, and the president also held tele-rallies for the candidate. Ciattarelli himself remained confident he’d “deliver a win” for the state, but he was unable to get the votes.
Eyes were on Passaic County this year, as the once-blue stronghold flipped and voted for Trump in 2024. The county previously went for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by 52 points in 2016 and for former President Joe Biden by 16 points in 2020.
But as of 9:51 p.m., Sherrill was leading Ciattarelli in the county, 59.9% to 39.5%.
With Sherrill’s win, it’s unclear when her seat in the U.S. House will be filled. Sherrill did not have to resign from her seat to run for governor. If she resigns her seat soon after Tuesday’s victory, it would likely trigger a special election to fill her seat as early as late January or early February.
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The Democratic field to replace Sherrill is filling up. Morris Township Committeeman Jeff Grayzel and former Obama administration official Cammie Croft have already launched bids, though both had said they wouldn’t run for the seat if Sherrill lost. At least eight other Democrats are speculated to join the race.
One Republican, Randolph Mayor Joe Hathaway, launched a campaign at the beginning of October. He will likely have an uphill battle, as the 11th Congressional District voted for former Vice President Kamala Harris by 11 points in 2024.
