The dust has finally settled on the NJ governor race 2025, and honestly, it didn't go exactly how the pundits predicted back in the summer. Everyone kept talking about a "red wave" creeping into the Garden State after the 2024 presidential results. But when November 4 rolled around, New Jersey did what it usually does: it stayed blue, but with some very specific, local caveats that are going to change how the state is run for the next four years.
Mikie Sherrill didn't just win; she kind of dominated. The final numbers put her at roughly 56.88% of the vote compared to Jack Ciattarelli’s 42.52%. That’s a 14-point gap. Remember when Phil Murphy barely squeaked by with a 3-point margin in 2021? Yeah, this wasn't that.
Why the NJ Governor Race 2025 Felt Different
Most people think New Jersey elections are just about Democrats vs. Republicans. That’s a mistake. This race was really about two things: affordability and the "Trump factor." Jack Ciattarelli tried to make it a referendum on the high cost of living—property taxes, the 20% spike in electricity bills from the PJM energy auctions, and the state's mandate for electric vehicles.
He wasn't wrong to focus there. New Jerseyans are frustrated. A Rutgers-Eagleton poll taken right after the election showed that 28% of residents still think taxes should be the absolute top priority. It's been the number one issue for 15 years straight.
But Sherrill played a different game. She leaned into her "service-first" background as a former Navy pilot and U.S. Attorney. She basically framed the election as a choice between "Jersey-centric" progress and what she called "Washington-style extremism." By tying Ciattarelli to the national GOP agenda, she managed to pull in moderate voters in places like Morris County—places that haven't gone for a Democratic governor in decades.
The Geography of the Landslide
If you look at the map, the real shocker was Morris County. Sherrill became the first Democrat to win there since 1973. That is huge. She also nearly flipped Hunterdon County, losing it by only single digits.
Why did this happen? It wasn't just about party lines. Sherrill's choice of running mate, Dale Caldwell (the president of Centenary University), helped appeal to the educational and professional class. Meanwhile, Ciattarelli’s pick of Morris County Sheriff Jim Gannon was a smart play for the law-and-order crowd, but it wasn't enough to stop the bleeding in the suburbs.
The Issues That Actually Swung the Vote
While the news was busy talking about "sanctuary cities" and the "Immigrant Trust Directive," voters were staring at their bank accounts.
- Property Taxes: Ciattarelli promised to cap them and reduce state spending by 30%. It sounded great on a bumper sticker, but Sherrill countered with a plan to expand the Child Tax Credit and streamline "shared services" between towns to cut costs without gutting schools.
- Housing: This was a massive sticking point. New Jersey has a mandate for over 140,000 new affordable housing units over the next decade. Sherrill supported the 2024 law that streamlines this; Ciattarelli called it "overdeveloping the suburbs."
- Energy Bills: After rates jumped 20% in June 2025, the NJ governor race 2025 became an energy war. Ciattarelli wanted to pull out of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). Sherrill argued that the "all-of-the-above" energy strategy was the only way to keep the lights on long-term.
It’s easy to forget that this was Ciattarelli’s third time running. He’s a "Somerville guy" through and through, and his "Jersey-first" branding is authentic. But Sherrill's ability to command the "ethics in government" lane—where she led Ciattarelli by a massive 78% to 16% in Quinnipiac polling—proved impossible to overcome.
Breaking Down the Primary Battles
We shouldn't forget how we got here. The Democratic primary was a total street fight. You had Newark Mayor Ras Baraka pulling in 20.7% of the vote and Jersey City’s Steven Fulop at 16%. They pushed Sherrill to the left on housing and social issues, which ironically might have helped her in the general by solidifying her base early.
On the GOP side, it was much clearer. Ciattarelli crushed radio host Bill Spadea with about 68% of the primary vote. Spadea was the "MAGA" candidate, and Ciattarelli’s decisive win there was supposed to signal that he could win over moderates in November. It just didn't translate when the general election turned into a nationalized referendum.
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What Happens Now?
Sherrill is set to be sworn in on January 20, 2026. She’s making history as the first female Democratic governor of NJ and the first female vet to hold the office anywhere in the country.
But the honeymoon is going to be short. The state is still facing a massive housing shortage, and those energy auctions from 2025 are still hitting people’s mailboxes. If she can't make a dent in the property tax problem, the same "affordability" wave that Ciattarelli tried to ride will be waiting for her in the midterms.
Actionable Insights for NJ Residents:
- Watch the Housing Permits: Keep an eye on your local zoning board meetings. The new housing laws Sherrill supports mean your town is likely about to see a spike in development applications.
- Tax Credit Updates: If you have kids, check the new eligibility for the expanded State Child Tax Credit. It was a cornerstone of her platform and is expected to be one of the first bills she signs.
- Special Election in the 11th: Since Sherrill resigned her seat in Congress to take the Governor's mansion, there’s a wide-open special election coming up. Candidates like Tahesha Way and Tom Malinowski are already in the mix.
New Jersey politics is never quiet. It's loud, expensive, and usually a bit messy. The 2025 race was all of those things, but it also proved that in a state this diverse, the "middle" still holds a lot of power—if you know how to talk to them.