Democrat Mikie Sherrill elected governor of New Jersey
Mikie Sherrill will become New Jersey's second female governor
NEW JERSEY (WABC) -- Democrat Mikie Sherrill will win the New Jersey Governor over Republican Jack Ciattarelli, ABC News projects.
The four-term member of Congress centered her campaign on her biography as a Navy helicopter pilot and former prosecutor who would stand up to President Donald Trump.
"We here in New Jersey are bound to fight for a different future for our children," Sherrill told her supporters gathered to celebrate her victory. "We see how clearly important liberty is. We know that no one in our great state is safe when our neighbors are targeted, ignoring the law and the Constitution."
Sherrill's victory breaks a notable trend in the state, as no party has controlled the NJ governor's seat for three consecutive terms since the 1960s. Her Democratic governorship will immediately succeed current Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy's back-to-back terms.
During her victory speech, she listed recent moves initiated by the Trump administration that were booed by the audience.
"Liberty alone is not enough if the government makes it impossible for you to feed your family, to get a good education, or to get a good job," she said. "In this country, that shouldn't be too much to ask. But right now, all of it seems at risk. Governors have never mattered more. And in this state, I am determined to build prosperity for all of our citizens."
WATCH | Mikie Sherrill addresses supporters on Election night
Sherrill represents New Jersey's 11th congressional district, which includes parts of Essex and Morris County. She flipped the district when she won in 2018.
She will be New Jersey's second female governor. Former Republican Gov. Christine Todd Whitman was the state's first female governor, serving two terms from 1994 to 2001.
Sherrill made a point to shout out her Republican opponent, saying former state assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli had just given her a phone call.
Ciattarelli lost his second straight governor's election after coming within 3 points of defeating Gov. Phil Murphy four years ago.
The former state assemblyman first set his sights on the governor's mansion in 2017, but failed to secure the Republican primary.
Sherrill consistently led Ciattarelli in the polls throughout the course of the campaign, though their distance narrowed slightly in the days leading up to the election.
Ciattarelli's loss comes as Republicans have tightened their margins in New Jersey in recent years, with Trump losing the state by just 6 points in 2024, compared to 16 points in 2020.
Also on the ballot Tuesday were all 80 seats in the Assembly, which Democrats control with a 52-seat majority.
New Jersey was one of two gubernatorial elections on Tuesday. Former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger won Virginia's election for governor. Spanberger is a former CIA case officer and she served six years in Congress. Her victory flips Virginia's executive mansion from GOP control.
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ABC News and the Associated Press contributed to this story
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