National Dems boost support for Sherrill despite polling lead

(The Center Square) – A comfortable polling lead for Micki Sherrill, the New Jersey congresswoman hoping to become the state’s next Democratic governor, hasn’t stopped the national party from doubling spending on her campaign as Election Day approaches.

The Democratic National Committee said Tuesday its $1.5 million donation will be the most the organization has ever spent in the Garden State during an off-election year. It will also help down-ballot candidates through the New Jersey Democratic Coordinated Campaign by funding more staff and extending outreach to minority communities where votes dwindled in 2024. 

She currently leads Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli by an average of 8.8 percentage points, according to polling data compiled by RealClear Politics.

Jack Ciattarelli, a former Republican state assemblyman, is no stranger to tackling the state’s blue wall. In 2021, he lost to term-limited Gov. Phil Murphy by less than three percentage points – a notable feat for the underdog GOP candidate in a state that’s seen a rightward shift over the intervening four years.

It’s unclear yet if those results were merely a fluke, given President Donald Trump’s victory in 2024. Ciattarelli does not seem to think so, crediting his influence for flipping seven seats in the state legislature and cementing the party’s best election performance in 30 years.

DNC Chairman Ken Martin says it's Ciattarelli’s “blind allegiance” to the Trump administration that makes his platform a bad deal for residents.

“With a historic total of $3 million now invested in the New Jersey Democratic Coordinated Campaign, the DNC is organizing everywhere to elect strong, commonsense leaders like Mikie Sherrill and those at the local level who will stand up to Trump while tackling affordability, improving health care, and bringing down housing costs,” he said.

The Center Square contacted the New Jersey Republican Party for comment but received no response.