Former Navy pilot and U.S. Representative Mikie Sherrill clinched New Jersey’s governorship on Tuesday, defeating Republican Jack Ciattarelli with 51% of the vote.

Her victory, built on promises of affordability, education reform, and reproductive rights, keeps the statehouse under Democratic control despite national Republican momentum.

Sherrill, 50, a moderate Democrat who flipped New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District in 2018, won key urban centers like Newark and suburban strongholds including Morris County. Her campaign resonated with voters facing 7.1% inflation and a 12% annual rise in housing costs. “Tonight, New Jersey chose progress over division,” she declared in her victory speech, pledging to support working families without federal overreach.

Ciattarelli, 63, a former state assemblyman and Trump ally, conceded gracefully but blamed the federal shutdown and Trump’s absence from the ballot for his loss. “We fought hard for fiscal sanity, but voters felt the shutdown sting,” he said, vowing to hold Democrats accountable on crime and taxes.

Turnout surged to 68%—up 8% from 2021—with 3.4 million ballots cast. However, controversy erupted in GOP-leaning Cumberland County, where voting machine failures delayed polling and reportedly turned away hundreds of voters. Republican organizer Scott Presler called the timing “suspicious,” while election officials attributed the issue to isolated software glitches resolved by midday. Locals have demanded audits, and Senator Bill Hagerty joined calls for a formal probe.

Sherrill’s campaign urged patience and emphasized the integrity of the process. Her win, alongside Democratic victories in Virginia and California ballot initiatives, is seen as a rebuke to President Trump’s shutdown standoff over border funding.

Set to be inaugurated in January 2026, Sherrill inherits a $56 billion state budget with a $2 billion deficit and 4.2% unemployment. Her administration is expected to prioritize infrastructure and fiscal stability.