New Jersey Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D) officially kicked off her gubernatorial campaign on Monday, entering the competitive Democratic primary for the 2025 race.
"In the Navy, I was on a mission to protect our country. Now, I'm announcing my candidacy for governor, on a mission to get things done for New Jersey," Sherrill said in a video. Dressed in her flight jacket, she adds: "We can also be the state that sets the gold standard for protecting rights and freedoms, and we know they'll be under attack from Donald Trump's Washington... Because in New Jersey, we love our country, we're proud of our state, and we value our freedoms."
Sherrill's entry into the race to replace outgoing Gov. Phil Murphy (D) follows closely behind Rep. Josh Gottheimer's (D) gubernatorial bid. She joins a crowded field of candidates, including former state Senate President Steve Sweeney (D), Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop (D), former Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller (D), and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka (D).
Sherrill emerged as a political force in 2018 when she was recruited by Democrats to challenge 24-year incumbent Republican Rodney Frelinghuysen, chair of the powerful House Appropriations Committee. Her candidacy symbolized the political shift in New Jersey's affluent suburbs from Republican strongholds to Democratic dominance.
Her early momentum, coupled with national Democratic trends, led Frelinghuysen to retire, paving the way for Sherrill's victory over conservative Assemblymember Jay Webber by 15 points. Since then, she has had little difficulty winning reelection.
Sherrill, 52, was born in Virginia and grew up along the East Coast before settling in Montclair, New Jersey, 16 years ago. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy with a master's in global history from the London School of Economics, she also holds a law degree from Georgetown University. After working in private practice, Sherrill served as the outreach and reentry coordinator for the U.S. Attorney's Office in New Jersey.
Sherrill's family remains deeply connected to the Navy. Her husband is also an Annapolis graduate, and their eldest daughter, one of four children, is currently serving in the Navy.
Initially, Sherrill had considered hosting a major event to launch her campaign, possibly at a New Jersey diner, according to an anonymous source familiar with her plans. However, after Trump's election earlier this month, she opted for a more understated approach, rolling out her campaign with a video on Monday and scheduling four labor- and policy-focused events for Tuesday.
