Five days after launching her bid for the Democratic nomination for Governor of New Jersey, Rep. Mikie Sherrill has locked in endorsements from over 100 county and local elected officials in New Jersey’s 11th district, which she has represented in Congress for almost six years.
The elected officials signed a joint statement saying they’ve “had the privilege of working alongside Mikie Sherrill since as early as 2017.”
“We’ve seen firsthand how she’ll never back down from a challenge and how she’s willing to work with anyone, Democrat or Republican, to get things done for New Jerseyans. In times of crisis, she’s a leader – she makes tough decisions, and she delivers,” they said. “After Trump was elected in 2016, New Jersey needed real leadership, and Mikie Sherrill stepped up … She listens to neighbors and community members, takes their concerns to heart, and will never back down when it comes to serving our state.”
The list of endorsers is headed by six-term Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo, Jr. and includes County Clerk Christopher Durkin, Sheriff-elect Amir Jones, County Register of Deeds and Mortgages Juan Rivera, Jr., and eight of the nine county commissioners: Patricia Sebold, Carlos Pomares, Tyshammie Cooper, Brendan Gill, Romaine Graham, Wayne Richardson, Robert Mercado, and Lenny Luciano.
In Passaic County, support for Sherrill has come from County Clerk Danielle Ireland-Imhof, Sheriff-elect Thomas Adamo, and three of the six incumbent county commissioners: Orlando Cruz, Bruce James, and Pat Lepore; Commissioner-elect Rodney De Vore, who ousted a Republican incumbent this year, has also endorsed Sherrill.
Fourteen mayors from NJ-11 are backing Sherrill for governor: Jenny Mundell, Bloomfield; Carolyn Dempsey, Chatham Borough; Stacey Ewald, Chatham Township; James P. Dodd, Dover; Deborah Mans, Glen Ridge; James Damiano, Little Falls; Robert Conley, Madison; Nancy Adams, Maplewood; Annette Romano, Millburn; Jason Karr, Morris Plains; Donna Guariglia, Morris Township; Khizr Sheikh, Mountain Lakes; James Spango, Roseland; and Tracy Kallert, Woodland Park.
Endorsements came from municipal elected officials in 23 municipalities: Bloomfield Councilwomen Monica Tabares and Sarah Cruz; Glen Ridge Councilors Ann Marie Morrow, Rich Law, Peter Hughes, LoriJeane Moody, David Lefkovitz and Rebecca Meyer; Livingston Councilmen Shawn Klein, Michael Vieira and Ketan Bhuptani; Maplewood Councilmembers Jamaine Cripe, Dean Dafis, Victor De Luca and Malia Herman; Millburn Committeeman Michael Cohen; Montclair Deputy Mayor Susan Shin Andersen and Third Ward Councilor Rahum Williams; Nutley Commissioner Thomas Evans; Roseland Councilmembers Christopher Bardi, John Biront, Eileen Fishman, Neal Goldstein, and Marcelino “Moose” Trillo; Boonton Councilmembers Jacob Hettrich and Marie Devenezia; Chatham Borough Councilmembers Jocelyn Mathiasen, Justin Strickland, Karen Koronkiewicz, Brian Hargrove, Irene Treloar, and Katherine Hay; Chatham Township Councilmembers Michael Choi, Jen Rowland, and Marty McHugh; Dover Councilmembers Claudia Toro, Sandra Wittner, Geovani Estacio, Michael Scarneo, Karol Ruiz, Arturo Santana, and Marcos Tapia; Lincoln Park Councilman Patrick Antonetti; Madison Councilmembers
Eric Range, Rachel Ehrlich, Robert Landrigan, Tom Haralampoudis, Melissa Honohan, and John Forte; Mendham Township Deputy Mayor Lauren Spirig; Morris Plains Councilmembers Nancy Verga; and Joan Goddard; Morris Township Committee members Jeffery Grayzel, Mark J. Gyorfy, Bud Ravitz, Siva Jonnada; Mountain Lakes Councilmembers Lauren Barnett, Chris Cannon, Cynthia Korman, Tom Menard, and Melissa Muilenburg; Parsippany Councilwoman Judy Hernandez; Rockaway Councilmen Jonathan Sackett and Manny Friedlander; Little Falls Councilmembers Anthony Sgobba, Christopher Vancheri, and Christine Hablitz; Wayne Councilwoman Francine Ritter; and Woodland Park Councilmembers Vincent DeCesare. Tina Gatti, Christine Tiseo, Michael Sica, Adam Chaabane, and Luis Torres.
“Time and again, we’ve seen Mikie – a lifelong public servant – step up to make life easier for New Jersey families,” the group stated. “As Governor, we know she’ll do exactly that, and we’re excited to support her every step of the way.”
The officials pointed to Sherrill’s work to jumpstart the Gateway Tunnel project.
“Mikie ran her first campaign on a vow to build the Gateway Tunnel, and, after years of broken promises, we were skeptical. Yet, she did just that – leading the fight to fund the Gateway Tunnel and secure a federal cost-sharing agreement that will allow us to get the project done without raising state or local taxes on families,” they siad. And Mikie didn’t stop there – she continues to be a fearless advocate when it comes to holding New Jersey Transit and Amtrak accountable for the ‘summers of hell’ we’ve experienced year after year.”
The Sherrill supporters added, ““That’s just one of the big issues Mikie has tackled during her time in Congress, but we also know that she cares deeply about making life easier for our residents and cutting through the bureaucratic red tape that frustrates all of us. Mikie and her team are always a phone call or a text away. When our residents come to us needing help, we often tell them to reach out to Mikie and her staff. From ensuring local veterans get all of their health care benefits, to helping our seniors navigate Medicare or Social Security, to making sure the IRS gives you back every dollar you’re owed, Mikie will stop at nothing to ensure that every New Jerseyan who needs help gets it”
Other gubernatorial candidates have also won some endorsements from elected officials in the 11th district: South Orange Mayor Sheena Collum and Morristown Mayor Tim Dougherty are for Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, while West Orange Mayor Susan McCartney and North Caldwell Councilmembers Matthew Atlas, Anthony Floria-Callori, and Stephen Weinstein, are backing Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-Tenafly). Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and former Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller are also expected to win some endorsements in Essex.