Both candidates for New Jersey governor are painting themselves as outsiders in their first general election ads this year as they hunt for support from discontented swing voters.
The New Jersey race is one of two gubernatorial elections in the country this year. But the campaign could highlight trends in voter sentiment nationally, as the country reacts to President Donald Trump’s second term and prepares for the 2026 midterm elections.
Republican Jack Ciattarelli and Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill are making their opening cases to voters ahead of November’s election, with both arguing that they will address the state’s high cost of living and specifically noting electricity costs. And a Democratic outside group also launched a new attack against Ciattarelli, tying him to Trump.
Ciattarelli, a former state legislator, sought to head off Democratic attempts to tie him to Trump with his first TV ad, walking through a quintessentially New Jersey diner and saying directly into the camera, “We all know it. New Jersey’s a mess, and all Mikie Sherrill wants to talk about is President Trump. Come on, what does the president have to do with rising property taxes and higher electricity bills?”
He also tied Sherrill to Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, saying that Murphy and Sherrill “care more about pronouns and sanctuary cities than they do solving our problems. That changes when I’m governor. I’ll lower electricity bills, cut and cap property taxes, and keep our community safe. Folks, it’s time to fix New Jersey. When I’m governor, we will.”
Ciattarelli lost a close race to Murphy in 2021.
Sherrill, meanwhile, highlighted her background as a Navy helicopter pilot and pledged to “stand up to anyone and everyone for New Jersey families.”
She also touted her plan to address rising utility costs in the state, an issue that has put her at odds with Murphy. She pledged to freeze utility rates for one year, which Murphy doubted was possible. Sherrill responded by writing in a post on X that she was “tired” of doubts, pledging, “I’m going to get it done for NJ families.”
“The Navy taught me in a crisis, you either find a way or make one,” Sherrill says in the ad as she appears to be flying a helicopter, later adding, “Day one as governor, I’m declaring a state of emergency on utility costs using emergency powers to end these rate hikes and drive down your bills.”
While Sherrill does not mention Ciattarelli in her spot, Democrats launched an attack against him Wednesday.
Greater Garden State, a super PAC backed by the Democratic Governors Association, launched a TV ad tying Ciattarelli to Trump, highlighting the president’s endorsement during the primary where he described Ciattarelli as “100% MAGA.”
“That’s what Donald Trump calls Jack Ciattarelli because Ciattarelli wants to be the Trump of Trenton,” a narrator says in the ad.
Trump lost New Jersey by 6 points last year, though he improved on his 2020 margin by 10 points.
Greater Garden State has reserved more than $17.4 million in airtime through Election Day, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact. Ciattarelli’s campaign has spent $1.8 million on ad reservations so far through Nov. 4, while Sherrill’s campaign has spent $1.1 million.
