2025 New Jersey gubernatorial election


The 2025 New Jersey gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 2025, to elect the governor of New Jersey. Democratic Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill defeated Republican former state assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli in a landslide. Incumbent Democratic Governor Phil Murphy was term-limited.
Primary elections were held on June 10, 2025. Sherrill won the Democratic nomination with 34% of the vote over a field of candidates that included Newark mayor Ras Baraka and Jersey City mayor Steven Fulop. Ciattarelli, the Republican nominee in 2021, won his second consecutive nomination with almost 68% of the vote over radio talk show host Bill Spadea.
After strong Republican performances in the state in 2021 and 2024, many analysts expected a close race. Some polls suggested the election was a toss-up. However, Sherrill outperformed expectations and won in a landslide victory with a decisive margin of approximately 14.4%, which was higher than Murphy's 3.2% margin over Ciattarelli in 2021 and slightly larger than Murphy's 14.14% winning margin over Kim Guadagno in 2017. This election was the widest Democratic margin since 2001, and the highest vote share for a Democratic nominee since 1989. Sherrill was the first Democratic gubernatorial candidate to win Morris County since 1973. Sherrill also lost Hunterdon County by single digits, which is the narrowest Republican margin since 1977. Both Sherrill and Ciattarelli obtained the most votes cast in any New Jersey gubernatorial election, and this election had the highest turnout since 1997.
Sherrill was sworn in as the 57th governor of New Jersey on January 20, 2026. She became the second female governor in New Jersey history, the first Democratic female governor in New Jersey history, and the first female military veteran to serve as governor of a U.S. state. This election was the first New Jersey gubernatorial election since 1961 in which either party won the governorship for three consecutive terms.

Background

New Jersey has long been considered a blue state, consistently voting Democratic at the federal level since 1992 and generally voting Democratic at the state level as well. Republicans have not won a statewide election in New Jersey since the 2013 gubernatorial election, but recent statewide, especially gubernatorial, elections have been notably competitive.
In 2021, Governor Murphy was re-elected by a 3.2% margin, considerably down from his 14.1% margin of victory in 2017. A similar rightward shift was seen at the presidential level in 2024, when Democrat Kamala Harris won New Jersey by 5.9%, considerably down from 2020, when Joe Biden won New Jersey by 15.9%. Harris had the worst performance in New Jersey of any Democratic nominee since 1992, with Donald Trump becoming the first Republican nominee to lose New Jersey by just single digits since 2004.
Most polls, analysts and ratings showed Sherrill to be the favorite, although the polls narrowed beginning in mid-September.
This election was considered to be an indicator of the popularity of Donald Trump's second presidency in the state. Until 2021, New Jersey had elected a governor of the opposite party of the sitting president of the United States in every election since 1989. Until this election, New Jersey had not elected the same party to the governor's office for more than two consecutive terms since 1961.
In October 2025, the Trump administration announced that the Department of Justice would deploy election monitors to polling sites in California and New Jersey ahead of the November 4 elections. The administration cited concerns raised by Republican officials about alleged voting irregularities. Democratic leaders in both states criticized the move as politically-motivated voter intimidation, while the department said the monitors would ensure transparency and compliance with federal law.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Eliminated in primary

Declined

Lieutenant gubernatorial nomination

Nominee

Considered but not selected

Declined to be considered

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Eliminated in primary

Disqualified

Withdrawn

Declined

Polling

;Monmouth County
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
of error		Jon
Bramnick		Jack
Ciattarelli		Edward
Durr		Bill
Spadea		Undecided
Stepien Strategic Partners December 7–10, 2024920 ±3.2%1%37%3%38%22%

;Morris County
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
of error		Jon
Bramnick		Jack
Ciattarelli		Edward
Durr		Bill
Spadea		Undecided
Stepien Strategic Partners December 7–10, 2024920 ±3.2%5%39%2%22%32%

;Ocean County
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
of error		Jon
Bramnick		Jack
Ciattarelli		Edward
Durr		Bill
Spadea		Undecided
Stepien Strategic Partners December 7–10, 2024920 ±3.2%3%28%4%38%27%

Lieutenant gubernatorial nomination

Nominee

Considered but not selected

Declined to be considered

Third-party candidates

Candidates

Declared

Write-in

Withdrawn

  • Stephen Zielinski

General election

The in-person early voting period ran from October 25 to November 2, 2025.

Candidates

Write-in

Polling

Aggregate polls
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Mikie
Sherrill 		Jack
Ciattarelli 		OtherUndecided
Research Co.November 2–3, 2025429 ± 4.6%51%48%1%–
Research Co.November 2–3, 2025450 ± 4.6%48%46%1%5%
John Zogby Strategies October 31 – November 3, 20251,205 ± 2.9%55%43%2%–
AtlasIntelOctober 25–30, 20251,639 ± 2.0%50%49%–1%
SoCal Strategies October 28–29, 2025800 –52%45%–3%
Suffolk UniversityOctober 26–29, 2025500 ± 4.4%46%42%2%7%
Emerson CollegeOctober 25–28, 20251,000 ± 3.0%50%48%1%1%
Emerson CollegeOctober 25–28, 20251,000 ± 3.0%49%48%1%2%
Beacon Research /
Shaw & Company Research 		October 24–28, 2025956 ± 3.0%52%45%–3%
Beacon Research /
Shaw & Company Research 		October 24–28, 20251,107 ± 3.0%52%43%–5%
Quinnipiac UniversityOctober 23–28, 20251,166 ± 3.8%51%43%2%4%
Quinnipiac UniversityOctober 23–28, 20251,166 ± 3.8%51%44%–4%
YouGovOctober 17–28, 20251,153 ± 4.0%54%44%2%–
YouGovOctober 17–28, 20251,153 ± 4.0%51%42%1%6%
Quantus Insights October 26–27, 20251,380 ± 2.6%49%46%–5%
co/efficient October 23–27, 2025995 ± 3.3%48%47%1%5%
A2 InsightsOctober 24–26, 2025812 –51%47%–2%
GQR October 15–20, 20251,000 ± 4.0%52%40%–8%
Concord Public Opinion Partners October 16–18, 2025605 ± 3.9%49%40%–11%
Rutgers-EagletonOctober 3–17, 2025795 ± 4.7%50%45%–5%
KAConsulting October 15–16, 2025601 ± 4.0%47%44%–9%
InsiderAdvantage /Trafalgar Group October 14–15, 2025800 ± 3.5%45%44%4%7%
Fairleigh Dickinson UniversityOctober 9–15, 2025814 ± 3.4%52%45%–3%
Beacon Research /
Shaw & Company Research 		October 10–14, 2025869 ± 3.0%50%45%–5%
Beacon Research /
Shaw & Company Research 		October 10–14, 20251,002 ± 3.0%48%44%–8%
Quinnipiac UniversityOctober 9–13, 20251,327 ± 3.6%50%44%2%4%
Quinnipiac UniversityOctober 9–13, 20251,327 ± 3.6%51%44%–4%
Rasmussen Reports October 8–9, 2025955 ± 3.0%46%40%4%9%
Neighborhood Research October 6–9, 2025311 ± 5.6%44%44%–12%
Public Policy Polling October 2–3, 2025703 ± 3.7%49%43%–8%
John Zogby Strategies September 30 – October 2, 2025912 ± 3.3%50%42%–8%
Quantus Insights September 29–30, 2025900 ± 3.3%48%46%–6%
Beacon Research /
Shaw & Company Research 		September 25–28, 2025822 ± 3.0%50%42%–8%
Beacon Research /
Shaw & Company Research 		September 25–28, 20251,002 ± 3.0%48%41%–11%
Global Strategy Group September 22–25, 2025800 ± 3.5%50%43%–7%
Valcour/Save Jersey September 23–24, 20251,274 ± 2.8%47%45%–7%
Emerson CollegeSeptember 22–23, 2025935 ± 3.1%43%43%3%11%
yes. every kid.September 20–22, 2025704 ± 3.7%48%41%–10%
National Research Inc. September 16–18, 2025600 ± 4.0%45%46%–9%
Quinnipiac UniversitySeptember 11–15, 20251,238 ± 3.9%49%41%2%6%
Quinnipiac UniversitySeptember 11–15, 20251,238 ± 3.9%51%42%–7%
National Research Inc. September 8–10, 2025600 ± 4.0%47%45%–8%
Quantus Insights September 2–4, 2025600 ± 4.3%47%37%–16%
Quantus Insights September 2–4, 2025600 ± 4.3%49%39%–12%
TIPP Insights August 25–28, 20251,524 ± 3.0%37%36%–27%
TIPP Insights August 25–28, 20251,349 ± 3.0%46%39%2%12%
TIPP Insights August 25–28, 20251,073 ± 3.0%47%43%2%8%
Rutgers-EagletonJuly 31 – August 11, 20251,650 ± 3.7%44%35%3%17%
Rutgers-EagletonJuly 31 – August 11, 20251,650 ± 3.7%47%37%3%12%
A2 InsightsJuly 29 – August 2, 2025629 –51%45%–4%
StimSight ResearchJuly 18–24, 20251,108 ± 3.3%48%42%1%9%
Fairleigh Dickinson UniversityJuly 17–23, 2025806 ± 3.4%45%37%3%15%
National Research Inc. July 2025600 ± 4.0%46%43%–11%
KAConsulting June 24–27, 2025800 ± 3.5%47%42%–11%
Cygnal June 19–20, 2025500 ± 4.4%50%43%–7%
Rutgers-EagletonJune 13–16, 2025621 ± 5.4%51%31%–18%
Rutgers-EagletonJune 13–16, 2025621 ± 5.4%56%35%–9%
National Research Inc. June 11–12, 2025600 ± 4.0%45%42%–12%
SurveyUSA May 28–30, 2025576 ± 6.1%51%38%–12%

Results

By county

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic:

By congressional district

Sherrill won ten of 12 congressional districts, including her own and one held by a Republican.
DistrictSherrillCiattarelliRepresentative
63.2%36.1%Donald Norcross
46.0%53.4%Jeff Van Drew
57.0%42.5%Herb Conaway
35.4%64.2%Chris Smith
53.0%46.6%Josh Gottheimer
60.6%38.7%Frank Pallone
50.7%48.7%Thomas Kean Jr.
74.8%24.1%Rob Menendez
59.4%39.9%Nellie Pou
80.7%18.5%LaMonica McIver
57.4%42.1%Mikie Sherrill
66.9%32.4%Bonnie Watson Coleman

By state legislative district

Sherrill won 28 of 40 state legislative districts, including four with Republican state senators. Ciattarelli won 12 districts, including one held by a Democrat.
DistrictSherrillCiattarelliState Senator
1st46.8%52.6%Mike Testa
2nd54.0%45.3%Vincent J. Polistina
3rd49.1%50.1%John Burzichelli
4th54.2%45.1%Paul D. Moriarty
5th70.2%29.0%Nilsa Cruz-Perez
6th67.4%32.0%James Beach
7th66.8%32.7%Troy Singleton
8th52.5%47.0%Latham Tiver
9th37.0%62.5%Carmen Amato
10th37.7%61.9%James W. Holzapfel
11th54.1%45.3%Vin Gopal
12th39.9%59.6%Owen Henry
13th43.7%55.8%Declan O'Scanlon
14th60.5%39.0%Linda R. Greenstein
15th74.1%25.3%Shirley Turner
16th59.2%40.2%Andrew Zwicker
17th75.0%24.1%Bob Smith
18th63.2%36.2%Patrick J. Diegnan
19th62.2%37.1%Joe F. Vitale
20th73.8%25.3%Joseph Cryan
21st55.4%44.1%Jon Bramnick
22nd67.6%31.7%Nicholas Scutari
23rd47.4%51.9%Doug Steinhardt
24th42.8%56.6%Parker Space
25th52.3%47.2%Anthony M. Bucco
26th49.0%50.6%Joseph Pennacchio
27th70.6%28.8%John F. McKeon
28th92.1%7.4%Renee Burgess
29th84.0%15.2%Teresa Ruiz
30th25.0%74.6%Robert W. Singer
31st72.7%25.8%Angela V. McKnight
32nd77.0%21.6%Raj Mukherji
33rd74.2%25.0%Brian P. Stack
34th76.3%23.2%Britnee Timberlake
35th72.0%27.1%Benjie Wimberly
36th56.9%42.5%Paul Sarlo
37th66.2%33.3%Gordon M. Johnson
38th55.0%44.6%Joseph Lagana
39th49.4%50.3%Holly Schepisi
40th48.5%51.0%Kristin Corrado

Exit poll

Sherrill was able to win New Jersey by over 14%, nearly matching Joe Biden's 16% victory in 2020, and winning the same counties as Biden. According to a CNN exit poll, Sherrill won 94% of Black voters, 68% of Hispanic voters, and 82% of Asian voters. Sherrill also won 54% of White women.