New Jersey is at a political crossroads. This year’s governor’s race between Democrat Mikie Sherrill and Republican Jack Ciattarelli will have major consequences — not just for the state, but for the direction of the country heading into the 2026 midterms.

Mikie Sherrill, a Navy veteran, former federal prosecutor, and sitting Congresswoman, is running to make life more affordable and fair for working families. She’s focused on lowering the cost of housing, food, and healthcare; expanding access to primary care through mobile clinics; protecting reproductive freedom by enshrining abortion rights in the state constitution; defending workers’ rights; and investing in infrastructure and public transit. She’s also a strong advocate for voting rights, opposing voter suppression efforts and supporting automatic and same-day voter registration.

Jack Ciattarelli, a former state lawmaker now running with Trump’s endorsement, is proposing a new funding formula for schools and modeling it after Florida's school voucher program. He supports strict voter ID laws, rolling back New Jersey’s affordable housing law, repealing protections for immigrant communities, and opposing the state’s Reproductive Freedom Act. He also wants to end the long-standing tradition of bipartisan balance on the state Supreme Court.

What’s at stake? Electing Ciattarelli means putting reproductive rights, voting access, public education, affordable housing, workers’ protections, and democracy at risk.