Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill will become New Jersey’s next governor after defeating Republican Jack Ciattarelli, according to a projection.
According to Decision Desk HQ, she will deny Ciattarelli a chance to take the state’s policies in a new direction.
The outlet called the race on Tuesday evening shortly after the polls closed.
Decision Desk HQ projects Mikie Sherrill to win the New Jersey Governor election.#DecisionMade: 8:13 pm ET
Follow live results on our website. pic.twitter.com/67CvF5ZM35
— Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ) November 5, 2025
Sherrill, a staunch supporter of abortion, ran on a big government platform and vowed to further go after guns.
“I strongly support enshrining the right to an abortion in New Jersey’s state constitution to permanently protect reproductive freedom,” Sherrill stated on her campaign website.
“Despite laws in place to protect access to care, too often women in New Jersey face additional barriers in getting care,” the site continues.
“New Jersey must take action to require comprehensive insurance coverage for all reproductive health care services, including abortion.”
Sherrill was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018, representing the state’s 11th Congressional District.
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Ciattarelli, a former state assemblyman, ran a campaign focused on affordability, individual liberty, and economic revival.
He also made election integrity and housing costs central issues in his bid for the governorship.
The Republican narrowly lost the 2021 governor’s race to Democratic incumbent Phil Murphy by roughly 84,000 votes, a result that signaled growing GOP strength in the deep-blue state.
Despite Murphy’s COVID-19 mandates and stance on illegal immigration, voters again sided with a Democrat.
Sherrill’s victory keeps the governorship in Democratic hands for another term.
Last November, President Donald Trump secured 46.1 percent of the vote in New Jersey, showing Republican competitiveness in what has long been considered a Democratic stronghold.
Prior to Election Day, pollster Nate Silver predicted that New Jersey could emerge as the nation’s next battleground state.
“The 2024 election was a solid enough victory for Donald Trump, but hardly a ‘red wave,’” Silver wrote.
“Except in a few states like New Jersey,” he continued. “There, the polling average had Kamala Harris up by 15 points but she only won the state by 6.”
“In fact, New Jersey saw the second-largest swing toward Republicans in the country, behind only neighboring New York,” Silver noted.
As of Tuesday, Democrats still maintained their edge in the state.
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