The New Jersey race for governor has narrowed as Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill campaigns with high-profile allies and receives Barack Obama's endorsement, while Republican Jack Ciattarelli gains support from Donald Trump. A recent Fox News poll shows Sherrill leading 50% to 45% among likely voters. The contest, one of only two gubernatorial elections this year, is seen as a bellwether for upcoming midterms.
With Election Day approaching, Democratic candidate Rep. Mikie Sherrill is intensifying her campaign efforts in the race to succeed term-limited Gov. Phil Murphy. On Friday, former President Barack Obama endorsed Sherrill, who stated, "This November, we have an opportunity to chart a different path forward — to reject the chaos in Washington and lower costs in New Jersey — and I’m so grateful to have President Obama’s support and endorsement in this race."
Sherrill's schedule includes a rally with Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in Paramus on Saturday morning, followed by a "No Kings" rally in Montclair with Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin. On Sunday, she will host a policy roundtable with Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, then canvass in Newark before attending an Oktoberfest event in Hamilton.
A Fox News survey from October 10-14 shows Sherrill at 50% support among likely voters, with Ciattarelli at 45%, a tightening from her 8-point lead in late September. The race has grown hostile, highlighted by the candidates' second debate on October 8 in New Brunswick. Sherrill criticized Ciattarelli for not opposing President Trump, saying, "[H]e's shown zero signs of standing up to this president. In fact, the president himself called Jack 100% MAGA, and he's shown every sign of being that." Ciattarelli responded that he is "part of a New Jersey movement" and graded Trump's second-term performance an "A," prompting Sherrill to retort, "I think that tells us all we need to know about who Jack Ciattarelli's supporting. I give him an F right now."
Controversies include the mistaken release of Sherrill's military records revealing she was blocked from her 1994 Naval Academy graduation due to a cheating scandal, and her allegations that Ciattarelli was "complicit" in the opioid crisis through his medical publishing company. Trump recently terminated billions in federal funding for the Gateway Project, a Hudson River train tunnel, which Sherrill called "critical" at a Thursday news conference: "I'm fighting for the people of New Jersey. He's fighting to excuse Trump. It's unacceptable."
Ciattarelli, speaking at a Saddle Brook diner on October 15, urged supporters: "Championship teams finish strong. Let's win this race." He was joined by Vivek Ramaswamy, who said, "We’re counting on you." Multiple sources confirm Trump will hold tele-rallies with Ciattarelli to energize voters in this low-turnout election. New Jersey Republicans have won five of the last ten gubernatorial races, and Trump narrowed his 2024 margin in the state to 6 points from 16 in 2020. The outcome may break historical trends, as the state traditionally alternates parties but has not elected three straight from the same party in over 50 years.