Edison, NJ – June 10 — In a political showdown that could carry national implications, Democratic Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill and Republican Jack Ciattarelli are set to face off in New Jersey’s upcoming gubernatorial election this November. Both candidates secured their party nominations on Tuesday, according to CNN projections, setting the stage for one of the most closely watched elections of the year.
Sherrill emerged from a fiercely contested Democratic primary, besting a lineup of major political figures that included fellow Congressman Josh Gottheimer, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, former state Senate President Steve Sweeney, and Sean Spiller, head of New Jersey’s largest teachers’ union. A Navy veteran and former federal prosecutor, Sherrill has leaned heavily on her leadership credentials while pledging to protect the state from what she described as the “extremism” of Donald Trump and his allies.
On the Republican side, Ciattarelli cruised to victory in a much less crowded primary. The former state legislator and 2021 gubernatorial runner-up received a major boost after a public endorsement by Donald Trump last month. His return to the political spotlight signals a renewed push by conservatives to take back the governorship in a state that has become an unexpected battleground in the post-Trump era.
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Although New Jersey traditionally tilts Democratic, it saw a sharp rightward shift between the 2020 and 2024 presidential elections—second only to New York in that regard. A Democratic win this fall would mark the party’s third straight gubernatorial victory, something not seen in New Jersey in more than 60 years.
This year’s contest has already shattered state records for campaign spending. According to data from AdImpact, more than $87 million had been spent by June 4, most of it during the competitive Democratic primary. Television ads were dominated by messaging about Donald Trump, with over 70% of spots referencing the former president in some capacity.
Each Democratic contender campaigned on resisting Trump’s influence while also zeroing in on local concerns like soaring property taxes and cost-of-living pressures. One of Sherrill’s most notable ads starkly warned: “MAGA is coming for New Jersey,” drawing a direct connection between her opponent and Trump-era politics.
Her campaign also faced criticism over financial contributions received from a political action committee affiliated with SpaceX. In response to public scrutiny, Sherrill redirected an equivalent sum to a New Jersey food bank earlier this year.
This election cycle is the first under a new ballot format that replaced the state’s long-standing “county line” system, which had given disproportionate visibility to party-backed candidates. The new format, implemented after a federal court declared the old system unconstitutional in a lawsuit filed by Senator Andy Kim, made this year’s primaries far more competitive and unpredictable.
Virginia, the only other state with an off-year gubernatorial race, is not holding primaries this cycle, as both major party candidates are running unopposed—Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears for the Republicans and former U.S. Representative Abby Spanberger for the Democrats.
As the general election campaign begins, Sherrill and Ciattarelli will now face off in a race likely to serve as a national gauge of voter sentiment heading into the 2026 midterms. With New Jersey’s political future—and perhaps more—on the line, all eyes will be on the Garden State this November.