New Jersey voters are being handed a clear choice this year between Rep. Mikie Sherrill, the Democrat nominee, and Republican Jack Ciattarelli, who won his party’s nomination after a hard-fought primary. This is the match-up that will decide whether the Garden State continues down the path of high taxes and big-government Democratic management or finally gets a governor who will put taxpayers first.
Right now the numbers show Sherrill with a measurable lead in multiple surveys, but the race remains very much in play — polls vary and the margin is within striking distance for Republicans if turnout holds. Aggregate polling through late October finds Sherrill leading by roughly four to six points on average, a lead that can evaporate with a focused ground game and a clear message on cost of living and crime.
Americans who work for a living know what the problem is: New Jersey’s runaway costs, crushing property taxes, and maddening regulations are driving families out of the state. Recent polling confirms taxes and affordability top the list of voter concerns, which should be music to the ears of conservatives who have been arguing for lower taxes and common-sense governance.
Jack Ciattarelli has tried to thread the needle — courting Trump’s base while pitching himself as a pragmatic alternative for independents and disillusioned Democrats. That balancing act was noted by national outlets as he accepted endorsements and positioned himself as a candidate who can win by focusing on bread-and-butter issues rather than elite culture battles.
Meanwhile, Sherrill’s campaign has not been without controversy, and the naval academy record questions that surfaced could trouble voters who care about character and transparency. Conservatives should not be shy about exposing the difference between empty establishment promises and real accountability; scandals and unanswered questions matter at the ballot box.
If Republicans want to win in November they need to stop playing defense and start owning the issues that hurt New Jersey families: lower taxes, safer streets, school choice, and rolling back the overreach of state bureaucrats. Ciattarelli should hammer home concrete plans to reduce costs and restore commonsense, while reminding voters that the Democratic machine in Trenton has failed them.
This race is a reminder to every conservative in New Jersey and beyond that elections are not won by polls but by action: door-knocking, phone-banking, and turning out the people who feel the squeeze of high taxes and crumbling public safety. Stand up for hardworking Americans, show up to vote, and don’t let another generation pay for the political class’s mistakes.
