Sherrill heading to midwest for campaign events

Gov. Mikie Sherrill will resume out-of-state political travel on Thursday, her first trip outside New Jersey since controversies involving then-Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell became public on September 4.

Senate President Nicholas Scutari will be sworn in as acting governor Thursday morning, assuming the constitutional authority of the governorship while Sherrill travels to Illinois and Ohio.

Sherrill will deliver the keynote address Thursday at Personal PAC’s 33rd Anniversary Awards Lunch in Chicago.  The group supports candidates who favor reproductive rights.

On Friday, she will headline an Ohio fundraiser for Amy Acton, the Democratic nominee for governor and a physician who previously served as the state’s health director.  Acton faces Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in November.

The two-day trip ends a pause in Sherrill’s travel that began after the New Jersey Globe disclosed an investigation into Caldwell’s alleged behavior toward women and l ethics violations.  Sherrill subsequently held off on accepting new out-of-state invitations, avoiding circumstances that would have put Caldwell in charge while the allegations remained unresolved.

Caldwell resigned September 25, one day after Sherrill demanded his departure following an internal investigation that substantiated sexual harassment and ethics violations.  He has disputed the findings and challenged the fairness of the investigative process.

His departure left the lieutenant governor’s office vacant and moved Scutari into the role of acting governor whenever Sherrill leaves New Jersey.

Sherrill has until November 9 to appoint a new lieutenant governor. She is weighing potential candidates.