Photo: Eduardo Munoz Alvarez / Getty Images News / Getty Images
Democrat Mikie Sherrill has been projected to win the New Jersey governor's race, defeating Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli and his running mate, James Gannon.
Sherrill will replace term-limited Governor Phil Murphy to keep Democrats in power in the state. It marks the first time in over 50 years in which one party has maintained the governorship for two consecutive full terms.
Sherrill, a congresswoman, centered her campaign on affordability, focusing on reducing costs for New Jersey residents in areas such as housing and healthcare. She also criticized President Donald Trump's economic policies, arguing that they posed a threat to the state. Additionally, Sherrill proposed consolidating smaller school districts to lower property taxes and expressed opposition to private prisons in New Jersey.
A contentious issue in the campaign was Sherrill's military records, which the Trump administration released largely unredacted. Ciattarelli accused Sherrill of lying about her background, while Sherrill accused him of circulating the records.
Dale Caldwell, the president of Centenary University, will serve as Sherrill's lieutenant governor.