Politics & Government
Obama Endorses Sherrill For NJ Governor, Trump Backs Ciattarelli
The Democratic and Republican candidates for New Jersey governor each now have a presidential endorsement in their corner.

The Democratic and Republican candidates for New Jersey governor each now have a presidential endorsement in their corner.
On Thursday, former president Barack Obama posted a video message endorsing Mikie Sherrill’s campaign for New Jersey governor. It’s the second time a resident of the White House has weighed in on the Garden State’s heated gubernatorial election: Jack Ciattarelli received an endorsement from President Donald Trump earlier this year.
Obama said Sherill will “drive down costs for New Jersey families” and “keep our communities safe.”
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“Mikie’s integrity, grit, and commitment to service are what we need right now in our leaders,” the former president said.
Sherrill thanked the former president for his endorsement.
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“This November, we have an opportunity to chart a different path forward — to reject the chaos in Washington and lower costs in New Jersey — and I’m so grateful to have President Obama’s support and endorsement in this race,” she said.
Obama also endorsed Gov. Phil Murphy during his re-election campaign against Ciattarelli in 2021.
Meanwhile, the current president has supported his Republican peer’s campaign, calling Ciattarelli a “terrific America First candidate” who has earned his “complete and total endorsement.”
Trump touted Ciattarelli’s efforts to “grow our economy” and “cut taxes and regulations,” also pointing to his stances on illegal immigration, “American energy dominance” and the Second Amendment.
Ciattarelli replied that he was “truly humbled and honored” to receive Trump’s endorsement.
“It’s time to unite our party, win big in November, and make New Jersey affordable and safe again,” he said.
The general election will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Early in-person voting will take place from Oct. 25 to Nov. 2. Learn more about voting in New Jersey here.
Ciattarelli, the Republican nominee, and Sherrill, the Democratic nominee, were the last ones standing after a competitive primary election on June 10. Murphy, a Democrat, is term-limited and can’t run again this year.
Third-party and independent candidates running in the 2025 election include Vic Kaplan (Libertarian Party) and Joanne Kuniansky (Socialist Workers Party). Candidates running write-in campaigns include Lily Benavides (Green Party) and Darrell Armstrong (independent).
According to state election data, there were 2.52 million registered Democrats, 1.67 million registered Republicans, and 2.34 million unaffiliated voters in New Jersey as of Oct. 1.
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