Mikie Sherrill: What to know about the Democratic candidate for New Jersey governor

Mikie Sherrill: Meet the candidates for NJ governor

New Jersey Now sits down with Democratic gubernatorial candidate and NJ-11 congressional representative Mikie Sherrill. She explains her policies, including how she plans to bring costs down for New Jerseyans, plus dives into how Pres. Trump?s policies are affecting the state and her proposal to protect children from Big Tech.

NEW JERSEY - U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, who represents New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District, is emerging as the frontrunner in the Democratic primary for governor, holding a lead in most recent polls and raising millions of dollars as she pitches herself as the candidate who can make life more affordable in the Garden State.

Sherrill, 53, is a former federal prosecutor and U.S. Navy helicopter pilot. Born in Alexandria, Virginia, she now lives in Montclair with her husband and their four children. 

Since her first election in 2018, she has represented a district that covers parts of Essex, Morris and Passaic counties. 

She flipped the seat from Republican control and has been reelected three times. Before entering politics, she served in the Navy from 1994 to 2003 and later worked for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey.

"I learned early on: In a crisis, the worst thing you can do is freeze," Sherrill said on the campaign trail. "You have to choose to lead."

Here are a few initiatives on her agenda: 

The affordability agenda

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 24: Rep. Mikie Sherrill (C) (D-NJ) is trailed by reporters after leaving a House Democratic caucus meeting at the U.S. Capitol where formal impeachment proceedings against U.S. President Donald Trump were announced by Speak

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Sherrill has built her campaign around what she calls her "Affordability Agenda," rolled out in March. The plan focuses on six key areas: housing, energy, health care, taxes, child care and food prices.

"The affordability crisis is hitting everybody in New Jersey," Sherrill said. "That’s why I keep talking about building more houses, because we are never going to make New Jersey more affordable if we don’t make housing more affordable." She has proposed repurposing underused commercial spaces and promoting transit-oriented development to expand housing options while supporting infrastructure.

She said her broader mission is to ease costs across the board. "I think a lot of what I’m running to do is to make sure New Jersey delivers better for people across the state," she said, citing lower utility bills, reforms to health care oversight and efforts to drive down prescription drug prices.

NJ electric bills

ELIZABETH, NJ - MAY 24 - People listen to Democratic candidate for Governor Rep. Mikie Sherrill. She attends a Latinos for Mikie event at the Rancho Mateo restaurant. (Aristide Economopoulos For The Washington Post via Getty Images)

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To tackle rising electricity costs, Sherrill has promised to expand clean energy projects, particularly solar installations on state properties and in local communities. 

She criticized regional grid operators for what she called unnecessary delays. "I’ll demand accountability from our regional grid operators to bring clean energy projects online faster, because years of delays are simply unacceptable," she said.

NJ taxes credits

Sherrill’s tax plan emphasizes relief for families through expanded access to credits such as the Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit and caregiver tax credits. 

She also supports back-to-school sales tax holidays. 

On spending, she has called for reforms to the State Health Benefits Program and more shared services among local governments to reduce costs.

Health care oversight

Representative Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat from New Jersey, during an interview in New York, US, on Friday, May 2, 2025. Sherrill, who is also a former federal prosecutor, announced her candidacy last year for New Jersey governor, citing her leadershi

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Her health care proposals focus on price transparency and oversight of insurers and providers. 

She has pushed for clearer billing and stronger justification for premium hikes, while promising to take on what she describes as wasteful middlemen. 

Sherrill has singled out Pharmacy Benefit Managers, or PBMs, as contributors to inflated drug prices.

Sherrill's view on Trump

President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Sept. 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Sherrill has not shied away from invoking President Donald Trump in her campaign, casting herself as a bulwark against his influence. 

"I think the chaos that we’re seeing coming from Washington, the attacks on our economy, on our rights and freedoms, on just our core values as Americans, is something that New Jerseyans are not gonna tolerate," she said. 

"So here in New Jersey, we’re gonna chart a different path forward."

NJ ICE raids

On immigration, Sherrill has emphasized a balanced approach. 

"I think the role of the governor is to follow the law, and that includes the constitution of the United States and making sure law enforcement is following the constitution, but also, at the same time, making sure if people commit a crime that they are held accountable for that. And those are the types of things that, as governor, I'm going to ensure."