Democrat Mikie Sherrill has emerged victorious in the New Jersey gubernatorial election, defeating Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli, who was backed by former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Sherrill’s win delivers a major blow to Republicans, ending their hopes of a surprise upset on election night.
A member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Sherrill focused much of her campaign on criticizing Trump’s handling of the economy. Her victory — alongside that of her fellow Democrat and Washington roommate, Abigail Spanberger, who won Virginia’s governorship earlier in the day — gives Democrats a morale boost after recent electoral challenges.
Elected to Congress in 2018 as part of a wave of opposition to Trump’s first-term policies, Sherrill’s latest win is seen as another rebuke of Trumpism in the traditionally Democratic-leaning state.
Exit polls showed Sherrill winning a clear majority of independent voters — a key demographic ahead of next year’s midterm elections.
Although Trump did not campaign in person for Ciattarelli, he voiced strong support in the final hours before voting ended. On Truth Social, he urged “ALL PATRIOTIC CITIZENS OF THE GREAT STATE OF NEW JERSEY” to turn out for Ciattarelli and claimed significant backing from the state’s Orthodox Jewish community.
The former president also hosted a virtual rally from the White House on the eve of the election, calling Ciattarelli “a great guy, a friend of mine… who wants to save New Jersey and make it great again.”
Despite tightening polls toward the end, Ciattarelli never led in any major survey. Analysts say his effort to balance Trump’s endorsement with New Jersey’s centrist leanings proved difficult.
Trump’s limited involvement in the campaign also reflected skepticism about the Republican’s chances, as New Jersey voters often elect governors from the party opposite the sitting president.
Sherrill’s victory cements Democratic control of the Garden State and signals renewed momentum for the party heading into the 2026 midterm cycle.
