The 2025 New Jersey gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 2025, to elect the governor of New Jersey. Democratic U.S. representative Mikie Sherrill defeated Republican former nominee Jack Ciattarelli. Sherrill succeeded Democratic incumbent Phil Murphy, who was term-limited and thus ineligible to seek a third term.

Primary elections were held on June 10, 2025. Sherrill won the Democratic nomination with 34% of the vote over a field of candidates that included Newark mayor Ras Baraka and Jersey City mayor Steven Fulop. Ciattarelli, the Republican nominee in 2021, won his second consecutive nomination with almost 68% of the vote over radio talk show host Bill Spadea.

After strong Republican performances in the state in 2021 and 2024, many analysts expected a close race. Some polls suggested the election was a toss-up. However, Sherrill outperformed expectations and won with a decisive 14.36% margin of victory, slightly larger than Murphy's 14.14% margin in 2017. This election was the widest Democratic margin since 2001, and the highest vote share for a Democratic nominee since 1989. Sherrill was the first Democratic gubernatorial candidate to win Morris County since 1973. Sherrill also lost Hunterdon County by single digits, which is the narrowest Republican margin since 1977. Both Sherrill and Ciattarelli obtained the most votes cast in any New Jersey gubernatorial election, and this election had the highest turnout since 1997.

Sherrill was sworn in as the 57th governor of New Jersey on January 20, 2026. She became the second female governor in New Jersey history, the first Democratic female governor in New Jersey history, and the first female military veteran to serve as governor of a U.S. state. This election was the first New Jersey gubernatorial election since 1961 in which either party won the governorship for three consecutive terms.

Background New Jersey has long been considered a blue state, consistently voting Democratic at the federal level since 1992 and generally voting Democratic at the state level as well. Republicans have not won a statewide election in New Jersey since the 2013 gubernatorial election, but recent statewide, especially gubernatorial, elections have been notably competitive.

In 2021, Governor Murphy was re-elected by a 3.2% margin, considerably down from his 14.1% margin of victory in 2017. A similar rightward shift was seen at the presidential level in 2024, when Democrat Kamala Harris won New Jersey by 5.9%, considerably down from 2020, when Joe Biden won New Jersey by 15.9%. Harris had the worst performance in New Jersey of any Democratic nominee since 1992, with Donald Trump becoming the first Republican nominee to lose New Jersey by just single digits since 2004.

Most polls, analysts and ratings showed Sherrill to be the favorite, although the polls narrowed beginning in mid-September.

This election was considered to be an indicator of the popularity of Donald Trump's second presidency in the state. Until 2021, New Jersey had elected a governor of the opposite party of the sitting president of the United States in every election since 1989. Until this election, New Jersey had not elected the same party to the governor's office for more than two consecutive terms since 1961.

In October 2025, the Trump administration announced that the Department of Justice would deploy election monitors to polling sites in California and New Jersey ahead of the November 4 elections. The administration cited concerns raised by Republican officials about alleged voting irregularities. Democratic leaders in both states criticized the move as politically motivated voter intimidation, while the department said the monitors would ensure transparency and compliance with federal law.

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Mikie Sherrill, U.S. representative from (2019–2025)

Eliminated in primary Ras Baraka, mayor of Newark Steven Fulop, mayor of Jersey City and candidate for New Jersey's 13th congressional district in 2004 Running mate: Sheena Collum, mayor of South Orange Josh Gottheimer, U.S. representative for (2017–present) Sean Spiller, president of the New Jersey Education Association (2021–present) and former mayor of Montclair (2020–2024) Stephen Sweeney, former president of the New Jersey Senate (2010–2022) from the 3rd district (2002–2022)

Declined Cory Booker, U.S. senator (2013–present) and candidate for president in 2020 (running for re-election in 2026)

Endorsements

County conventions

Hunterdon County Democratic convention Candidate Round 1 Round 2 Votes % Votes % 81 45.76% 89 56.69% 65 36.73% 68 43.31% 13 7.35% colspan=2 style="text-align:center;" 11 6.21% colspan=2 style="text-align:center;" 7 3.95% colspan=2 style="text-align:center;" Total ballots 177 ballots 157 ballots Mercer County Democratic convention Candidate Round 1 Votes % 224 55.45% 133 32.92% 47 11.63% Total ballots 404 ballots Monmouth County Democratic convention Candidate Round 1 Votes % 338 72.84% 96 20.69% 30 6.47% 0 0.00% Total ballots 464 ballots Sussex County Democratic convention Candidate Round 1 Votes % 113 88.28% 9 7.03% 6 4.69% 0 0.00% Total ballots 128 ballots Burlington County Democratic convention Candidate Round 1 Votes % 119 44.57% 69 25.84% 52 19.48% 27 10.11% Total ballots 267 ballots Atlantic County Democratic convention Candidate Round 1 Round 2 Votes % Votes % 81 47.36% 90 52.02% 38 22.22% 46 26.59% 29 16.96% 37 21.39% 23 13.45% colspan=2 style="text-align:center;" Total ballots 171 ballots 173 ballots Ocean County Democratic convention Candidate Round 1 Votes % 63 38.41% 31 18.90% 26 15.85% 23 14.02% 21 12.80% Total ballots 164 ballots Bergen County Democratic convention Candidate Round 1 Votes % 616 66.02% 148 15.86% 95 10.18% 45 4.82% 29 3.11% Total ballots 933 ballots Morris County Democratic convention Candidate Round 1 Votes % 385 76.85% 88 17.56% 20 3.99% 8 1.6% Total ballots 524 ballots Turnout 83.71% Salem County Democratic convention Candidate Round 1 Votes % 24 82.76% 3 10.34% 2 6.90% Total ballots 29 ballots Warren County Democratic convention Candidate Round 1 Votes % 19 57.58% 7 21.21% 5 15.15% 2 6.06% Total ballots 33 ballots Essex County Democratic convention Candidate Round 1 Votes % 438 62.13% 236 33.48% 24 3.40% 7 0.99% Total ballots 705 ballots

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin Ras Baraka Steven Fulop Josh Gottheimer Mikie Sherrill Sean Spiller Stephen Sweeney UndecidedEmerson CollegeMay 11–13, 2025386 (LV)± 4.9%11%11%11%28%10%5%24%MDW Communications (D)May 11–13, 20251,100 (LV)± 3.5%17%13%7%21%7%5%30%Global Strategy Group (D)May 10–13, 2025600 (LV)± 4.0%15%16%11%33%6%7%12%StimSight ResearchMay 7–10, 2025409 (LV)± 4.9%21%19%10%31%9%9%1%MDW Communications (D)April 20251,200 (LV)± 3.5%14%14%9%18%11%8%26%Rutgers-EagletonApril 1–10, 2025556 (RV)–9%12%9%17%10%7%32%Global Strategy Group (D)April 6–8, 2025600 (LV)–13%13%15%25%12%6%16%Hart Research Associates (D)March – April 2025––12%14%11%20%9%9%26%Global Strategy Group (D)April 1–3, 2025900 (LV)± 3.0%11%13%14%19%11%5%27%MDW Communications (D)March 19–20, 2025935 (LV)± 3.0%12%9%5%14%8%5%47%GBAO (D)February 27 – March 3, 2025800 (LV)± 3.5%14%10%9%20%15%8%24%Hart Research Associates (D)February 2025––12%12%9%25%11%5%26%MDW Communications (D)February 10, 2025789 (LV)± 3.0%10%5%5%16%10%3%52%Public Policy Polling (D)January 22–23, 2025615 (LV)± 4.0%9%9%5%16%11%9%43%Emerson CollegeJanuary 18–21, 2025437 (LV)± 4.6%8%4%7%10%8%7%56%Hart Research Associates (D)November 2024––12%7%6%17%10%9%39%Upswing Research (D)November 23–27, 2024803 (LV)± 3.5%13%8%10%25%7%8%30%Global Strategy Group (D)November 20–24, 2024800 (LV)± 3.5%9%4%9%24%5%11%38%Renaissance Campaign Strategies (D)July 13–14, 2024802 (LV)± 3.5%12%7%8%18%2%8%45%GQR Research (D)March 7–12, 2024603 (LV)± 4.0%20%9%5%23%–12%29%

Fundraising Primary campaign finance activity through June 27, 2025CandidateRaisedSpentCash on handRas Baraka$7,325,248$7,219,890$105,358Steven Fulop$9,142,423$9,009,629$132,794Josh Gottheimer$9,217,621$8,742,829$474,792Mikie Sherrill$9,549,353$9,283,760$265,594Sean Spiller$454,309$415,580$38,729Steve Sweeney$9,047,708$8,633,427$414,281Source: New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission

Debates + 2025 New Jersey gubernatorial Democratic primary debates and forums Date Host Moderator Link Democratic Democratic Democratic Democratic Democratic Democratic Participant   Absent   Non-invitee   Invitee Withdrawn Baraka Fulop Gottheimer Sherrill Spiller Sweeney1 November 21, 2024 NJ PBS David Cruz YouTube AA 2 February 2, 2025 New Jersey GlobeOn New JerseyRider University Laura Jones YouTube 3May 12, 2025NJ PBSWNYCBriana VannozziMichael Hill YouTube N 4May 18, 2025New Jersey GlobeOn New JerseyRider UniversityLaura Jones YouTube N

Results

Lieutenant gubernatorial nomination Nominee Dale Caldwell, president of Centenary University (2023–present) and former New Brunswick school board member (1998–2024)

Considered but not selected Samuel Delgado, vice chair of the New Jersey State Cannabis Regulatory Commission and husband of state assemblymember Yvonne Lopez Shavar Jeffries, former assistant attorney general (2008–2010) and candidate for mayor of Newark in 2014 Jim Johnson, former U.S. under secretary of the Treasury for Enforcement (1998–2001) and candidate for governor in 2017 Carlos Medina, president of the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey Lamont Repollet, president of Kean University (2020–present) and former New Jersey commissioner of education (2018–2020)

Declined to be considered Troy Singleton, state senator from the 7th district (2018–present) Benjie Wimberly, state senator from the 35th district (2025–present)

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Jack Ciattarelli, former state assemblyman from the 16th district (2011–2018), nominee for governor in 2021, and candidate in 2017

Eliminated in primary Justin Barbera, contractor and independent candidate for in 2024 Jon Bramnick, state senator from the 21st district (2022–present) and former minority leader of the New Jersey General Assembly (2012–2022) from the 21st district (2003–2022) Mario Kranjac, former mayor of Englewood Cliffs (2016–2024) Bill Spadea, radio talk show host and nominee for in 2004

Disqualified Monica Brinson, former political strategist (continued running as a write-in candidate in general election)

Withdrawn Edward Durr, former state senator from the 3rd district (2022–2024) (endorsed Spadea) Jim Fazzone, former mayor of Burlington City (2008–2015) and senate nominee for LD-07 in 2023 (endorsed Bramnick)

Declined Chris Christie, former governor (2010–2018) and candidate for president in 2016 and 2024 Declan O'Scanlon, state senator from the 13th district (2018–present) (endorsed Ciattarelli)

Endorsements

County conventions

Camden County Republican convention, March 10, 2025 Candidate Round 1 Round 2 Votes % Votes % 36 47.37% 51 68.00% 23 30.26% 24 32.00% 29 16.96% 17 22.37% Total ballots 76 75

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error JonBramnick JackCiattarelli EdwardDurr MarioKranjac BillSpadea Other UndecidedEmerson CollegeMay 11–13, 2025330 (LV)± 5.4%8%44%–2%18%4%23%National Research Inc. (R)May 6–8, 2025600 (LV)± 4.0%10%54%–2%23%–11%National Research Inc. (R)April 8–10, 2025600 (LV)± 4.0%9%50%–3%22%–14%Rutgers-EagletonApril 1–10, 2025258 (RV)–4%42%–0%12%7%34% March 24, 2025 Durr withdraws from the raceKAConsulting (R)February 5–7, 2025600 (LV)± 4.0%4%42%2%2%13%–35%Emerson CollegeJanuary 18–21, 2025334 (LV)± 5.3%4%26%2%–13%10%47%KAConsulting (R)June 12–14, 2024606 (LV)± 4.0%3%44%2%–11%–38%

Monmouth County Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error JonBramnick JackCiattarelli EdwardDurr BillSpadea UndecidedStepien Strategic Partners (R)December 7–10, 2024920 (LV)±3.2%1%37%3%38%22% Morris County