New Jersey gubernatorial candidates Jack Ciattarelli and Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D) have both released their first general election television ads for the state’s upcoming governor’s race.
Ciattarelli, who won the Republican nomination this year for a second time after a narrow loss to Gov. Phil Murphy (D) four years ago, is seeking to pull off an upset over the Democratic nominee Sherrill. The Garden State has been consistently blue-leaning, particularly on the federal level, but Republicans have had more success in state-level races and have been encouraged by improvements that the GOP saw in the 2021 governor’s race and the 2024 presidential race in the state.
Both candidates emphasize making the state more affordable in their ads, a key point in the race as New Jersey is known for having a high cost of living.
Ciattarelli’s ad, released Tuesday, shows him in a diner, a staple in New Jersey. He says in the ad that the state is a “mess” with rising property taxes and electricity bills, but Sherrill only wants to talk about President Trump.
“New Jersey’s a mess because out-of-touch politicians like Phil Murphy and Mikie Sherrill care more about pronouns and sanctuary cities than they do solving our problems,” Ciattarelli said.
Sherrill and other Democrats have often sought to tie Ciattarelli, a onetime Trump critic who has improved his relationship with the president more recently, to Trump. The president has endorsed Ciattarelli, a former state Assembly member, in the race.
Ciattarelli said if elected governor, he would lower electricity bills, cut and place caps on property taxes and keep communities safe.
“Folks, it’s time to fix New Jersey. When I’m governor, we will,” he said.
Sherrill’s ad leans on her background as a former Navy helicopter pilot, which she has often emphasized on the campaign trail, saying she learned from that experience to “either find a way or make one.” She said she would on her first day in office declare a state of emergency on the cost of utilities, using powers to stop rate hikes.
“I’ll stand up to anyone, and everyone, for New Jersey families,” Sherrill said.
Polling has shown Sherrill, a fourth-term House member, with varying leads over Ciattarelli. The most recent from Rutgers University’s Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling showed Sherrill head by 9 points but with 17 percent undecided.
The New Jersey race is one of two gubernatorial contests this year, along with Virginia. Eyes will be on both for an indication of the parties’ positioning ahead of next year’s midterm elections.
