If you were watching the New Jersey governor primary results roll in this past June, you probably felt that weird mix of "finally" and "wait, what?" The 2025 primary wasn't just another June Tuesday in the Garden State. It was a massive, expensive, and legally weird collision that effectively reset the board for Jersey politics.
We aren't just talking about names on a ballot here. We’re talking about the first time in modern history that the "party line"—that golden ticket of ballot placement—didn't exist. That changed everything.
Who Actually Walked Away with the Win?
Basically, the dust settled with two familiar but very different faces heading to the general election. On the Democratic side, Mikie Sherrill didn't just win; she kind of steamrolled a very crowded field. She pulled in about 34% of the vote. Now, that might sound low if you're thinking of a two-person race, but look at who she was up against.
She had to fend off Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, and her congressional colleague Josh Gottheimer.
On the Republican side, Jack Ciattarelli proved that third time's the charm—at least for a nomination. He secured a massive 67.8% of the GOP vote. He basically wiped the floor with Bill Spadea, the radio host who tried to run to his right. Honestly, Ciattarelli has become the face of the NJ GOP, for better or worse, and this primary result was a loud "yes" from the base.
Why These Results Felt Different This Time
You’ve gotta understand the "line." For decades, if you weren't in that one column on the ballot blessed by the county party bosses, you were toast. In 2025, after a massive legal fight led by folks like Andy Kim, the "office-block" ballot was born.
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Candidates were grouped by the job they wanted, not who their friends were.
- Sherrill’s Navy vet background and "moderate but tough" vibe played well without the machine's help.
- Baraka and Fulop struggled to translate their massive city-level support to a statewide audience without that cozy ballot positioning.
- Spending reached insane levels. We are talking over $122 million spent on the primary alone. That’s a lot of mailers you probably threw straight in the trash.
It’s kinda fascinating because the lack of the "line" meant candidates actually had to, you know, talk to people. Sherrill leaned heavily into affordability and "protecting kids online." Ciattarelli? He went all-in on "vision, not division," trying to keep that moderate-to-conservative balance that almost beat Phil Murphy back in 2021.
The Breakdown by the Numbers
Let's look at the actual spread. It wasn't even close in some spots, but the geography tells the real story of the New Jersey governor primary results.
Democratic Primary Top Tier:
- Mikie Sherrill: ~286,244 votes (34.0%)
- Ras Baraka: ~173,951 votes (20.7%)
- Steve Fulop: ~134,573 votes (16.0%)
- Josh Gottheimer: ~97,384 votes (11.6%)
Republican Primary Top Tier:
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- Jack Ciattarelli: ~316,283 votes (67.8%)
- Bill Spadea: ~101,408 votes (21.7%)
- Jon Bramnick: ~29,130 votes (6.2%)
The Trump Factor and the "Moderate" Myth
One thing people get wrong is thinking Jersey is just a "blue" monolith. The primary results showed some serious tension. Ciattarelli got the Trump endorsement, which helped him crush Spadea, but he’s still trying to keep a foot in the moderate camp. It’s a tightrope.
On the flip side, Sherrill positioned herself as the "anti-Trump" shield. In her victory speech, she literally called Ciattarelli a "Trump lackey." It’s a predictable script, but the primary results showed it’s the script that voters in the suburbs are buying right now.
Interestingly, Jon Bramnick—the Republican who basically built his brand on not liking Trump—only got 6%. That tells you exactly where the Republican base in Jersey is at. They want the Trump energy, but they want it with Ciattarelli’s "grown-up" presentation.
Affordability: The Only Issue That Actually Matters
If you ask a voter in Cherry Hill or Paramus what they care about, they aren't talking about "office-block ballots." They're talking about the fact that their property tax bill is now a five-figure horror story.
Sherrill’s win was largely credited to her focus on "affordability." She talked about auditing the state health benefits and expanding the Child Tax Credit to $1,000. People are hurting, and she found a way to sound like she had a plan.
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Ciattarelli countered this by promising to cap property taxes at a percentage of home value. It’s the same war we’ve seen for twenty years, just with new faces. The primary results proved that if you aren't talking about the "Exit 0" cost of living, you're not winning.
What Happens Next?
The primary was just the appetizer. Now that the New Jersey governor primary results are certified, we’re looking at a Sherrill vs. Ciattarelli showdown.
If you want to stay ahead of the curve, keep an eye on these three things:
- The Lieutenant Governor Picks: Sherrill went with Dale Caldwell, and Ciattarelli tapped Jim Gannon. These picks are designed to shore up specific regions (Caldwell for the urban/academic vote, Gannon for the law-and-order crowd).
- Voter Turnout: Primary turnout was the highest since 1997. If that energy carries into the general, expect a very long night in November.
- The "Post-Line" Era: Watch how the county parties try to regain control now that they’ve lost their ballot-positioning power. The primary was a win for democracy, but the bosses don't go away quietly.
Check your registration status now. New Jersey has early voting and mail-in options that are easier than ever to use, so there's really no excuse to sit this one out. The general election is November 4, and if the primary was any indication, it’s going to be a record-breaker.
Actionable Insight: Look up your specific assembly district results too. While everyone focuses on the governor, the primary also shook up local assembly seats, and those are the people who actually decide if your taxes go up or down next year.