Rep. Mikie Sherrill wins Democratic primary for NJ governor, AP projects
TRENTON - Rep. Mikie Sherrill will win the Democratic primary race for New Jersey governor, AP projects, claiming victory over a crowded and competitive field of prominent current and former officeholders.
The moderate congressional Democrat will fight to keep the Garden State blue as she faces Republican winner Jack Ciattarelli in the November general election. Because the New Jersey gubernatorial race is one of the first major elections since Donald Trump's return to the White House, there's a tremendous amount at stake simply through public perception.
This is a breaking news update. Watch live election coverage in the media player above, and stay with us as this story develops.
Sherrill, a former federal prosecutor and U.S. Navy helicopter pilot, was the establishment, left-of-center candidate in a crowded field of Democratic contenders.
Most of her campaign messaging had leaned on her military experience and being able to handle conflict.
"I learned early on: In a crisis, the worst thing you can do is freeze," she said. "You have to choose to lead,"
Sherrill has represented the 11th District, which includes parts of Essex, Morris and Passaic counties, since her 2018 election during President Donald Trump's first administration's midterm. Sherrill flipped the district from Republican control with former Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen's retirement and has been reelected three times since. Sherrill raised $2.8 million during the primary election, placing her among the top House fundraisers in the country.
Before getting elected to Congress, she was a prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey. She served in the Navy from 1994 to 2003.
Born in Alexandria, Virginia, the 53-year-old now lives in Montclair, New Jersey with her husband. She is also a mother of four.
During an interview with NJ Now, she said she would address the state's affordability issues by building more housing, investing in community solar to lower utility costs, and holding the grid operator PJM accountable.
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Stay up-to-date with the politics team. Sign up for the Teen Vogue Take You might have heard the term 'constitutional crisis' thrown around on social media or in the news lately. What used to be a relatively obscure concept you might learn about in civics class is now suddenly being talked about everywhere. Some say we're in a full-blown constitutional crisis, others claim we're veering toward one, and others believe the panic is overblown. Here's what the data says: Today, a majority of Democrats and Independents agree that the United States is experiencing a constitutional crisis, while just 3 in 10 Republicans say the same, according to surveys conducted by the States United Democracy Center and YouGov. As the leader of an organization that works to protect our democracy, and as a lawyer who served at the highest levels of state government, it's hard to disagree with the majority of my fellow Americans as I look at what's happening in our country right now — it feels like we are in a constitutional crisis. But what is a constitutional crisis? Is there an on-off switch, or is it a spectrum? And, more importantly, why should you care and what can you do about it? To answer that big question, we have to look at the source material: The United States Constitution. Our Constitution lays out a system of government that divides certain powers between the Congress, the courts, and the president, while giving states the authority to govern their people and to check the federal government. After a series of debates and compromises, the framers of the Constitution created that system of checks and balances to prevent any one branch of government from exercising too much power. 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Most recently, in response to protests in California, Trump moved thousands of National Guard units from state control to federal service. The action came without authorization from the governor, who is typically in command. When governors need federal assistance, they ask. It should not be forced on them. Trump has attempted to freeze federal funding for everything from disaster relief to child care. One problem: He doesn't have that power. The Constitution gives Congress the 'power of the purse' — the right to decide when and how our federal tax dollars are spent. And Congress has already promised those funds for essential services for everyday Americans. Federal judges have repeatedly ordered the administration to cease its attempts to stop funding for essential services. But as these lawsuits wind through the courts, real people are being hurt. 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That helps ensure that elections work for the people, not the party in power in Washington, DC. It's how we keep our elections free, fair, and secure. Trump tried to grab that state power. Once again, a judge stopped him, blocking parts of his order. By the way, many of Trump's executive orders haven't just been deemed illegal in the courts — they're also unpopular. Nearly three-quarters of Americans believe policy changes should happen through the passage of a bill in Congress, not an executive order by the president, according to our March poll with YouGov. No one person gets to declare a constitutional crisis, just like no one person gets to break our democracy. And even if there were a 'constitutional crisis' switch we could flip, there would be no cavalry riding to the defense of American democracy. We are the cavalry. We can debate the wording. We can argue over what really tips us into crisis, but at the end of the day, that's a distraction meant to divide us further. Because here's what I'll tell you is really important: President Trump continues to violate our constitutional system. Plain as day. He's breaking the law and ignoring the people who are meant to keep him in check. Despite all that, I firmly believe it's not too late. The Trump administration has done a lot of damage in these first five months, but we can still preserve American democracy. Enforcing and upholding the Constitution is the way forward. And we need to use every power that our country's founders gave us to do so. Because this is our democracy — our future. And the Constitution is our rulebook. It begins, 'We the People,' after all. Many of our state leaders — governors, attorneys general, and secretaries of state — are standing up for the Constitution and our freedoms, and our team at States United is committed to supporting them. Judges across the country are interpreting the law without fear or favor. But we also need citizens — especially young people — who are informed, engaged, and unafraid to speak out. You've already taken the first step, which is educating yourself on how the system works. What's next? You can vote, organize, protest, and lead. You can express your views online and challenge disinformation. You can work or volunteer for an organization that's fighting back. You can support elected officials who defend the rule of law, hold accountable those who don't, and one day run for office yourself. We can't take our democracy for granted. The Constitution doesn't enforce itself. It relies on each of us to uphold it. The question isn't whether we are in a constitutional crisis. It's what we're going to do about it. Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue Want more U.S. government coverage? 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