New Jersey politics is usually a contact sport, but the most recent scramble for the State House in Trenton felt more like a marathon with a sprint finish. If you’ve been living under a rock—or just wisely avoiding the 24-hour news cycle—you might have missed the final tally. Democrat Mikie Sherrill is the winner. She didn't just win; she basically rewrote the playbook for how a Democrat can carry the Garden State in a post-2024 landscape.
She beat out Republican Jack Ciattarelli, a man who has become a household name in Jersey politics for his persistence. Honestly, this was his third run for the job. You’ve got to hand it to him; the guy is a tireless campaigner. He visited hundreds of diners—more than 600 by his own count—but in the end, the numbers just weren't there. Sherrill took the win with roughly 56.9% of the vote compared to Ciattarelli’s 42.5%.
The Landslide Nobody Expected
For months, the polls were kind of a mess. Some had the race as a dead heat, and others suggested Ciattarelli might actually pull off the upset that eluded him back in 2021. But when the dust settled on November 4, 2025, the margin was a staggering 14.4%. That’s a landslide by any definition.
It’s the first time since 1961 that one party has managed to win three consecutive terms in the New Jersey governor’s mansion. Phil Murphy broke the "one-and-done" curse for Democrats, and now Sherrill is keeping the keys.
Sherrill’s victory was built on a massive turnout. We’re talking about 3.2 million votes cast—a record for a non-presidential year in New Jersey. People actually showed up. While the "unaffiliated" voters in Jersey usually decide these things, Sherrill managed to grab 56% of independents, which is basically a death knell for a Republican candidate in a blue-leaning state.
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Breaking Down the Demographics
If you look at the raw data, Sherrill’s coalition was wide and, frankly, pretty deep. She didn't just win the cities; she made serious inroads in places Democrats usually just drive through on their way to somewhere else.
- Black Voters: A massive 94% went for Sherrill.
- Hispanic Voters: She secured 68% of this bloc.
- Asian Voters: She took 82%.
- White Voters: This was Ciattarelli’s strongest group, where he led with 52%.
It's also worth noting the age gap. Sherrill captured two-thirds of the under-45 vote. Younger voters seem to have been galvanized by her focus on "accountability" and her background as a Navy helicopter pilot. There’s something about that veteran status that plays well in the suburbs, especially in her home turf of Morris County. She was actually the first Democrat to win Morris County in a governor's race since 1973. That is a long time.
Why Jack Ciattarelli Couldn't Close the Gap
Jack is a smart candidate. He’s approachable, he’s moderate on certain social issues, and he knows the tax code better than almost anyone in Trenton. But he was fighting a two-front war. On one side, he had Sherrill, who is a formidable campaigner. On the other, he had the shadow of the national GOP.
Sherrill's team was relentless in linking Ciattarelli to the national Republican platform. Even though Jack tried to keep the focus on local issues like property taxes (which, let’s be real, is the only thing Jersey residents actually want to talk about), the "Trump factor" was too big to ignore. According to exit polls, 41% of voters said they showed up specifically to oppose the president's agenda.
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"Even though we were not successful tonight, it does not mean we were not successful in talking about the issues that matter," Ciattarelli told a crowd of supporters in Bridgewater.
He wasn't wrong. He actually won the "tax vote." Among people who said taxes were their #1 priority, Ciattarelli beat Sherrill 72% to 21%. The problem for Jack? Not enough people put taxes at the very top of their list this time around. Ethics and healthcare were huge, and Sherrill dominated those categories.
The Historic Firsts
Mikie Sherrill isn't just the next governor; she’s a history-maker. When she is sworn in on January 20, 2026, she will become the state’s 57th governor.
She is only the second female governor in New Jersey history (shoutout to Christine Todd Whitman). More specifically, she’s the first Democratic woman to hold the job. And if you want to get really specific, she’s the first female military veteran to serve as a governor of any U.S. state. That’s a lot of "firsts" to carry into a four-year term.
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Her running mate, Dale Caldwell, will also be stepping into the role of Lieutenant Governor. Together, they ran a campaign that emphasized "Jersey values," which is sort of a vague term, but in this context, it meant protecting reproductive rights and leaning heavily into education funding.
What Happens Next?
So, the race is over. Sherrill won. Now what?
The transition is already in full swing. Governor Phil Murphy is packing up his office at Drumthwacket, and Sherrill is prepping her first budget. New Jerseyans are looking for results on a few specific fronts.
- Childcare and Education: Sherrill talked a lot about the "mental health crisis" among kids. Expect to see some early executive orders or legislative pushes centered on school-based counseling.
- Transit and Infrastructure: The Gateway Project and NJ Transit's perpetual "issues" aren't going away. She’s inherited a system that needs billions in investment.
- Property Taxes: She’s going to have to prove she can be as tough on spending as Ciattarelli claimed he would be. If she doesn't address the "Anchor" tax relief program or find ways to keep those checks coming, that 14-point lead will evaporate fast.
If you’re a New Jersey resident, your next step is staying engaged with the transition team’s public hearings. The state’s official website usually posts schedules for these things in early January. It’s the best way to see if the "accountability" Sherrill promised during the campaign actually shows up in her 2026 policy agenda.
The race for governor is done, but the work of actually running the most densely populated state in the country is just getting started.