New Jersey Governor’s race takes center stage on Election Day

PENNSAUKEN, N.J. (WPHL) — It’s Election Day in New Jersey, and all eyes are on the high-stakes governor’s race. Democrat Mikie Sherrill is aiming to keep the governor’s office in Democratic hands, while Republican Jack Ciattarelli is pushing to turn the tide in a state that’s leaned blue for decades.

Ciattarelli has centered his campaign on government reform and tax cuts, promising to make New Jersey more affordable for working families. He’s also highlighted bipartisan support, pointing to endorsements from a number of Democratic mayors across the state.

Sherrill, meanwhile, is campaigning on a message of justice, economic opportunity, and innovation.

Both candidates have zeroed in on the issues that matter most to Garden State voters: inflation, taxes, and education, as many residents continue to grapple with rising costs and concerns about the state’s public school system.

Beyond the governor’s race, voters are also deciding who will control the New Jersey General Assembly. Of the 99 legislative chambers across the United States, New Jersey’s is one of only two holding elections this year.

All 80 Assembly seats are on the ballot. Republicans are hoping to flip enough districts to gain control of the chamber, but the map has long favored Democrats. For the past two decades, most of the state’s legislative districts have leaned Democratic, and the party’s wide margin in the Assembly makes a GOP takeover an uphill battle.

Still, Republicans have been slowly chipping away at Democratic dominance in recent election cycles. The results of today’s vote could offer clues about whether that trend is continuing, and how New Jersey voters are leaning heading into the next political chapter for the Garden State.