Democrat Rep. Mikie Sherrill has won the New Jersey governor’s race over Republican Jack Ciattarelli, according to Newsmax and Decision Desk HQ.
The call was made shortly after 8 p.m. ET. With 35% of the precincts reporting, Sherrill was leading Ciattarelli with 57% of the vote.
Sherrill joined fellow Democrat Abigail Spanberger in capturing a governorship on Tuesday, as Spanberger cruised to victory in Virginia’s gubernatorial race.
Sherrill, a former Navy helicopter pilot and federal prosecutor, emerged as her party’s nominee after winning a crowded June primary.
She has centered her campaign on affordability, ethics in government, and leveraging her national security and service credentials to appeal to suburban voters.
Sherrill faced growing questions over her military record after reports surfaced that she was barred from attending her 1994 Naval Academy graduation for disciplinary reasons tied to a cheating scandal. Though she wasn’t charged with cheating, critics say she’s misled voters about her service.
Sherrill was also able to fend off scrutiny of her financial disclosures.
Republican critics accused her of tripling her net worth while in Congress, pointing to millions in stock gains and asset growth.
Sherrill’s campaign counters that the increase is largely due to her husband’s financial compensation and that neither she nor her husband trade individual stocks actively.
Ciattarelli was running for governor for the third time. He emphasizes long-standing New Jersey roots, pledging to cut taxes, control property costs, and bring a “hands-on CEO” style to Trenton, positioning himself as a local alternative to Sherrill.
The open seat race — driven by outgoing Democrat Gov. Phil Murphy being term-limited — had become one of the most closely watched contests in the nation.
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