Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) is joining a line of Democrats hoping to secure New Jersey’s governorship after the term-limited Gov. Phil Murphy (D-NJ) steps down next year.
Sherrill announced her candidacy for the 2025 New Jersey race for governor on Monday morning. She’s the second New Jersey congressional representative to announce the bid in recent days.
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) announced his run for governor on Friday.
“We’ve been through a lot these past couple of years,” Sherrill said in the video. “There’ve been crises in this country, all over the world, and here in New Jersey. And after this election, we know people are more divided than ever on how to move forward.”
The video struck a patriotic tone, showing fireworks, the flag, and touted Sherrill’s military service as a Navy helicopter pilot.
Sherrill praised the state’s accomplishments and hinted toward her goals if she becomes governor. “Let’s be the state that builds more housing. Let’s fix the economy. Let’s make life more affordable for hard-working New Jerseyans, from healthcare to groceries to childcare,” she said.
Like Gottheimer, she mentioned fighting President-elect Donald Trump’s presidency. Several state governors have laid out or set in motion plans to push back against Trump’s policies.
“We can also be the state that sets the gold standard for protecting rights and freedoms, and we know they’ll be under attack from Donald Trump’s Washington,” she said.
Sherrill previously won reelection to her fourth term decisively, beating her Republican opponent by double-digits. She’s known for dominating elections in the 11th Congressional District, a longtime Republican district prior to her election.
Sherrill was also one of the first Democrats to call for President Joe Biden to step down from the presidential Democratic nomination.
It’s not just Sherrill and Gottheimer vying for the Democratic nomination in the state.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Several prominent state Democrats, including Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, and former New Jersey Senate President Stephen Sweeney, are jockeying for the role as well.
If Sherrill makes it through the contested primary, she’ll likely face 2021 Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli. Ciattarelli lost narrowly to Murphy in 2021 and didn’t have Trump’s support in that race. He’ll likely draw it this time.