Democrats are in trouble in New Jersey, and former President Barack Obama is stepping in to try to reinforce Democrats ahead of a crucial election.
Obama has officially endorsed New Jersey’s Democratic gubernatorial nominee, Rep. Mikie Sherrill, as she is caught in a tight race with Republican Jack Ciattarelli, who hopes to flip New Jersey's governor's mansion for the first time since 2018.
While Sherrill leads Ciattarelli by six points, there is genuine fear that Ciattarelli could flip New Jersey due to an overwhelming negative sentiment towards Democrats.
The race in New Jersey is one of two major gubernatorial battles that Democrats are pouring a lot of money and energy into, the other being in Virginia.
Obama has also issued an endorsement of former Democrat Representative Abigail Spanberger in Virginia, as Democrats are working to retake Virginia.
While Obama is a popular figure among Democrats, he doesn't enjoy the universal acclaim he once had all those years ago.
Bringing out Obama to make a political endorsement is a risky measure due to his increasingly divisive image with moderates and center-right conservatives. So this is an all-hands-on-deck moment for Democrats to try and ward off Ciattarelli.
In an ad released on Friday, Obama called on New Jersey voters to come out for Sherrill saying, "Mikie’s integrity, grit, and commitment to service are what we need right now in our leaders. Mikie Sherrill is the right choice for your next governor."
It isn't just Obama who's been called in to shore up Sherrill. Other Democrat Governors, like Maryland Governor Wes Moore and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, have also publicly thrown their political clout behind Sherrill.
Responding to Obama's endorsement, Sherrill stated, "This November, we have an opportunity to chart a different path forward — to reject the chaos in Washington and lower costs in New Jersey — and I’m so grateful to have President Obama’s support and endorsement in this race. President Obama led historic efforts to lower healthcare costs and, now, Jack Ciattarelli is all in on Trump’s plans to raise premiums and kick hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans off their healthcare."
Sherill is wisely focusing on economic issues which is keeping her in the lead and marks a sharp tack away from the typical Democrat playbook of focusing on social issues. Nonetheless, there are fears that Sherrill could lose this race.
Ciattarelli came just three points shy of beating Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy in 2021 when President Joe Biden won the White House. Now with Democrats very much still in retreat, Ciattarelli believes he has what he needs to claim victory.
He explained, “I flipped eight seats in the state Legislature with the wind in our face and despite those challenges, it was the most successful night in 34 years for the Republican Party. In 2023, without me at the top of the ballot, we gave all those seats right back. But I’m telling you, this time around, we’ve got some wind at our back.”
Clearly, Democrats agree with Ciattarelli, and that's why they are pulling out all the stops to rally behind Sherrill to try and avoid the humiliation of losing the Garden State.
