Listen to this articleThe basics:
- Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill met with Gov. Phil Murphy to begin the transition
- Lt. Gov-elect Dale Caldwell named chair of gubernatorial transition team
- Kellie Doucette appointed executive director of the effort
- Sherrill says affordability, energy costs & family needs are top priorities
The transition of Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill began in earnest Nov. 5 in Trenton.
Following her resounding and historic 13-point win on Election Night over Republican Jack Ciattarelli, Sherrill and her team traveled to Trenton to meet with outgoing Gov. Phil Murphy to begin the process. Her victory also brought some down-ballot coattails, as Democrats picked up at least three Assembly seats to establish a supermajority in the next session.
Sherrill and Murphy met in the governor’s office for a private chat – as well as for one in front of reporters. The governor has pledged his office’s cooperation with the transition process.
“I think we’ll have as constructive, open, successful a transition period with Mikie and Dale [Caldwell] and their team,” said Murphy.
The Gov.-elect said she wanted to hit the ground running. Inauguration is set for Jan. 20, 2026.
Sherrill announced that Lt. Gov.-elect Dale Caldwell, who serves as president at Centenary University, will serve as chair of the Gubernatorial Transition Team. Meanwhile, Kellie Doucette will serve as the executive director. Doucette brings private sector experience in finance and health care as well as public experience serving. Most recently she served as district director for Sherrill’s congressional office.
‘Practical and aspirational’ work
“We want to get some great people into the administration, which is why today I’m going to announce the head of our transition team, Dr. Dale Caldwell, the new Lt. Gov.-elect of the great State of New Jersey – and Kellie Doucette,” said Sherrill at a press conference in Trenton following the meeting with Murphy. “He [Caldwell] has just been a champion for people across the state for decades now, as an educator, as some who’s worked at the state level, a minister – I always have to add because it’s always super impressive to me: a great tennis player; and somebody who’s fought for small businesses across our state.
“He’s going to bring his expertise to this transition. And then Kellie Doucette has a wonderful background and has worked hard for the state for many years now. I am incredibly excited that both of them have agreed to do this.”
I’m proud to announce that Lieutenant Governor-Elect @DaleCaldwell will be serving as the Chair of my transition team, and Kellie Doucette will be serving as our Executive Director.
New Jersey is lucky to have their leadership, vision, and management expertise to guide a smooth… pic.twitter.com/OoorhIEY0c
— Mikie Sherrill (@MikieSherrill) November 5, 2025
Caldwell thanked Sherrill for placing her confidence in him.
“We’ve worked very well as a team – and I’m just excited to move forward,” said Caldwell. “And it’s an honor to serve the state in this really, really important capacity. I’m proud to be part of a team that’s focused on building a world-class administration. An administration filled with folks who are as committed as we are to making a difference.
“Gov.-elect Sherrill has inspired so many people across the state with her leadership grounded in integrity and compassion and a deep commitment to public service. As Chair of this transition, my goal is to ensure that the same values guide every decision we make – as we prepare for her administration to take office. The work of the transition is both practical and aspirational.”
77 days and counting
Doucette also thanked Sherrill for the trust and confidence to lead this transition effort along with Caldwell.
“It’s an honor to serve alongside such a dedicated and visionary leader. Someone who’s spent her entire career putting people first, solving problems and delivering results for New Jersey,” said Doucette. “The days ahead are going to be very busy ones. We have 77 days of transition, and it’s going to be exciting, but also very busy – and filled with tremendous opportunity.
“Our job as a transition team is to make sure that Gov.-elect Sherrill is ready on day one – to ensure her administration reflects the values, energy and priorities of the people of the state. That means building a team that is responsive to New Jersey; that works for every corner – and brings forward the best ideas, no matter where they come from. It means creating an open and accessible process, one that invites public service and welcomes new voices to the table.
“I’m proud to be working with Lt. Gov.-elect Dale Caldwell – and looking forward to getting to work.”
Affordability ‘mandate’
Sherrill took some questions from reporters. She was asked if she feels she has a mandate because of the resounding results.
“Yes, I do – a very big one,” said Sherrill. “What I’m so glad to see about this election is how working incredibly hard to hear from so many New Jerseyans – and identify those key areas that I think are going to be so important to driving costs down, making life easier, making people have more access to opportunity. That we really, I think, have engaged with so many people – have such great thought leaders.
“I’m excited about the plan we built up. But we’ll keep going back and forth to make sure we’re driving the right agenda for it.”
Sherrill stressed her focus throughout the campaign on affordability. She pointed to her plan to address rising utility costs with a freeze on rate hikes and a day one state of emergency on those costs.
“The reason I was so focused on affordability issues is because my community is so focused on affordability issues and how they’re going to be successful,” she explained. “And then taking on some of what we see coming from Washington, because it’s driving up prices everywhere – putting people out of business, stopping the economic growth of our economy. So, when I say I have a mandate, that’s what I have a mandate to do – is really focus in on working families.”
Sherrill was asked about personnel decisions, such as attorney general, but had no news to make.
“We are building the team out now. And we’ll have announcements coming shortly,” said Sherrill. “But we’re going to hit the ground running – so it should be very soon.”
Words of advice
In addition to declaring a state of emergency on the aforementioned utility cost, Sherrill mentioned other key issues she plans to tackle at the start of her administration, such as kids’ online safety, joining the tariff lawsuit with other states and getting to work on her first state budget as governor.
Welcomed Governor-elect @MikieSherrill to the State House for our first meeting as we kick off the transition process.
I am confident that we are leaving New Jersey in the best hands with Mikie and Dale. pic.twitter.com/7gahZa1C5a
— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) November 5, 2025
She was also asked what she discussed with Murphy.
“I spoke to Gov. Murphy about really staffing up – and his advice was, just get really great people into each position who will have the biggest impact on the people of New Jersey,” said Sherrill. “And so, we talked a little bit about that – his own transition, things he thought he did well – and things he said he might do differently.”
Sherrill also said she has plans to meet with state legislative leaders as well.
The transition team says it will announce additional members and policy advisory committees in the coming weeks.
