North Jersey U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill enters New Jersey governor’s race

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U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, fresh off winning a re-election campaign, has announced she is running to be the next governor of the Garden State.

Sherrill, who represents a North Jersey district that covers Essex, Morris and Passaic counties, announced her candidacy Monday morning on YouTube. She is the second congressperson to join an already crowded field on the Democratic side. Her colleague in the House, Josh Gottheimer, announced his campaign for governor on Friday.

The former federal prosecutor has served in Congress since 2019. She graduated from the Naval Academy in 1994 and spent almost a decade on active duty as a Navy helicopter pilot. Sherrill would go to Georgetown University law school and work in private practice before working for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey.

Other Democratic candidates include Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, New Jersey Education Association president and former Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and former Senate President Steve Sweeney.

There is also a sizable field on the GOP side. Former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, who was the 2021 Republican nominee for governor, announced his candidacy as he was conceding the last gubernatorial race. He formally launched his third campaign for governor last April.

Other Republican candidates include radio talk show host Bill Spadea, former state Sen. Ed Durr and state Sen. Jon Bramnick.