Sherrill, Ciattarelli win New Jersey gubernatorial primaries – where Trump is front and center
The Associated Press has projected that U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) will win New Jersey’s Democratic gubernatorial primary, and that former state assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli will win New Jersey’s Republican gubernatorial primary – setting up a competitive race in November where President Donald Trump’s inroads with Garden State voters could be tested.
Republicans are hoping to flip the governorship from blue to red, and point to last year’s presidential results as a sign the state has gotten more favorable for Republicans.
“This year’s election for governor is critical for New Jersey’s future. You’ll decide whether New Jersey is a high tax, high crime, sanctuary state,” Trump said during a rally for Ciattarelli, whom he endorsed, held by telephone in early June. “New Jersey is ready to pop out of that blue horror show.”
Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris won New Jersey by just around 6 percentage points in 2024, but then-Vice President Joe Biden won the state by about 16 percentage points in 2020. That means Rep. Mikie Sherrill will have to campaign in a state that may be redder than it used to be.
“We built a nation, and people say the scars we have are ugly… The president comes here nonstop to his golf course and calls our state a horror show – but come November, we’re sending a shot across the bow,” Sherrill told supporters on Tuesday night.
New Jersey Rep. Mikie Sherrill speaks during the New Jersey Democratic gubernatorial primary debate at NJ PBS Studios, May 12, 2025, in Newark, N.J.
Steve Hockstein/NJ Advance Media via AP
The general election could also be a test of the strength of a Trump endorsement without Trump at the top of the ballot. Jack Ciattarelli likely benefited from Trump’s endorsement in the primary, but without Trump on the ticket in November, he will have to convince Trump’s base in New Jersey to still turn out.
“We won because our campaign is about people, not politics… We won because we talked about the issues that matter, the critical issues facing our state and my plan for a safer, more prosperous, and affordable New Jersey,” Ciattarelli told supporters at a Tuesday election night event.
Former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli speaks after the first Republican debate, Feb. 4, 2025, at Rider University in Lawrenceville, N.J.
Mike Catalini/AP
The other Democratic candidates Sherrill faced were Rep. Josh Gottheimer, who represents the state’s 5th District; Newark Mayor Ras Baraka; Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop; New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller; and former state Senate president Steve Sweeney.
Ciattarelli faced conservative radio personality Bill Spadea, state Sen. Jon Bramnick, former Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac, and contractor Justin Barbera.
The contest was on track to become the priciest election in New Jersey history, with over $85 million spent on advertising as of last Wednesday, according to a report from media tracking agency AdImpact.
Among Democrats, Gottheimer has the most ad spending supporting him ($22.8 million), followed by Fulop ($17.8 million).
Ciattarelli led among Republicans with $5.9 million in ad spending or reservations supporting him, dwarfing Spadea’s $2.2 million and Bramnick’s $1.2 million.
About 70% of broadcast ad airings have mentioned Trump, according to AdImpact.
-ABC News’ Emily Chang, Halle Troadec, Averi Harper, and Rachael Dziaba contributed to this report.
