Gottheimer backs Sherrill for governor

Democratic gubernatorial nominee Mikie Sherrill has picked up the endorsement of a congressional colleague and onetime rival, Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-Tenafly), as she seeks to succeed term-limited Gov. Phil Murphy.

While all six candidates in the June 10 Democratic primary had previously pledged to support the winner, Gottheimer is the third to formally announce his support.

“I’m excited to endorse my good friend and longtime colleague, Mikie Sherrill, for governor of New Jersey,” said Gottheimer.  “With what our state and country are facing in the Trump era, we need strong leadership, values, and ideas more than ever. Bergen County, which I’m proud to represent and fight for in Congress, will be key to delivering a strong win for Mikie and Democrats in November.”

Sherrill and Gottheimer have served in the House together since 2019.

“Josh has been a dear friend and colleague for years, and we’ve worked together on so many issues critical to New Jersey, from tax relief to infrastructure. Now, I’m honored to have his support on this campaign because it’s going to take all of us, together, to defeat Trump’s lackey, Jack Ciattarelli, in November,” Sherrill stated.  “I’m grateful for Josh’s support and look forward to campaigning together in Bergen County in the near future.”

Democrats have quickly coalesced behind Sherrill since she won last week’s primary in a 34%-21 victory over Newark Mayor Ras Baraka.  Within hours, U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Andy Kim and Gov. Phil Murphy announced their support of Sherrill.   Later that day, Rep. Nellie Pou (D-North Haledon) said she was endorsing Sherrill.

Less than an hour after the polls closed, former Senate President Steve Sweeney conceded his defeat in the Democratic gubernatorial primary and said he called Sherrill to congratulate her.

“I’ll do everything I can to make sure Mikie Sherrill is our next governor,” Sweeney said.

Former Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller also backed Sherrill on primary night, saying that he wants to “ensure that an extreme politician like Jack Ciattarelli never sets foot in the governor’s office.”

Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-Long Branch) endorsed Sherrill in March after she won county conventions in the two counties he represents in Congress, Monmouth and Middlesex.

The remaining members of the New Jersey Democratic congressional delegation will endorse Sherrill soon, the New Jersey Globe has confirmed: Donald Norcross (D-Camden) and Herb Conaway, Jr. (D-Delran), who backed fellow South Jerseyan Sweeney in the primary; Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing) and LaMonica McIver (D-Newark), who supported Baraka; and Robert J. Menendez (D-Jersey City), who didn’t take sides in the fight for the gubernatorial nomination.  Pallone, the senior New Jersey Democrat in Congress, organized the endorsements of Sherrill’s colleagues.

Baraka met privately with Sherrill this week, the New Jersey Globe has learned.

Correction: an earlier version of this story did not include Sean Spiller’s election night endorsement of Sherrill.