Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill, who departed the U.S. House last night, issued endorsements today to eight of her former congressional colleagues running for re-election next year.
Sherrill’s endorsement went to every incumbent Democrat who will be on the 2026 ballot: Senator Cory Booker and Reps. LaMonica McIver (D-Newark), Nellie Pou (D-North Haledon), Rob Menendez (D-Jersey City), Frank Pallone (D-Long Branch), Josh Gottheimer (D-Tenafly), Herb Conaway (D-Delran), and Donald Norcross (D-Camden).
“Following a blowout victory in the gubernatorial election, it’s clear Democrats have momentum going into 2026, and I’m proud to endorse all of the Democratic members of our New Jersey delegation on the ballot next year,” Sherrill said in a statement.
“I’ve worked with each of them on different priorities to deliver for New Jersey, from lowering healthcare costs and investing in our infrastructure to supporting our defense installations,” she continued. “As Trump and Washington Republicans level unprecedented attacks on working New Jerseyans, it’s crucial that we work together to protect liberty and prosperity in New Jersey.”
Of those eight senators and representatives, only Pallone currently faces a Democratic primary challenge, and neither of his declared opponents are especially high-profile. There are some murmurings, however, that Menendez could be in for another serious intra-party fight after winning an expensive and bitter 2024 contest.
As for next year’s general election, Pou is likely to be targeted by Republicans in her Trump-won 9th district; Sherrill carried the district by nearly 20 percentage points earlier this month, so her endorsement can’t hurt.
Gottheimer also holds a marginal seat, but Republicans have shown little interest in targeting him. The congressman was rivals with Sherrill in this year’s Democratic gubernatorial primary, a contest that involved plenty of sniping on all sides, but Sherrill said today that she’s been glad to work with Gottheimer on eliminating the SALT cap and that he’s a “fierce champion of making life more affordable for Jersey families.”
Sherrill has not weighed in yet on the state’s two open-seat contests: for her own 11th congressional district, which will host a special election early next year, and for the 12th congressional district seat that retiring Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing) is leaving behind. Both seats have rapidly drawn enormous fields of Democrats, as has the race to take on Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield) in the swingy 7th district.
Sherrill’s endorsement would, of course, likely go furthest in her old district’s Democratic primary, but she said shortly after she was elected governor that she will probably stay out of the race.
“I likely won’t be getting involved,” Sherrill said on November 5. “There are some great candidates in there.”
