3:29Democratic candidate for New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill speaks to a crowd alongside Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, in Westville New Jersey on Saturday, October 11, 2025. Sherrill is set to square off against Republican nominee Jack Ciattarelli on November 4 for the position as New Jersey’s 57th Governor.Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images
Ex-President Barack Obama has given his official approval to New Jersey’s Democratic candidate for governor, Rep. Mikie Sherrill, in a freshly released commercial initially reported by ABC News.
“Mikie’s uprightness, determination, and dedication to public service are precisely what we require from our leaders at this moment. Mikie Sherrill represents the correct decision for your upcoming governor,” Obama conveyed in the announcement, made available Friday morning.
Obama underscores Sherrill’s background as a veteran and suggests she is ideally suited to lessen expenses, as the party encounters triumphs in centering on affordability.
“Mikie is a mother who will strive to reduce costs for New Jersey families. As a federal attorney and former Navy helicopter pilot, she committed herself to safeguarding our communities,” Obama stated in the advertisement.
Currently, Sherrill holds a lead in opinion polls over her Republican rival, Jack Ciattarelli, who has received backing from President Donald Trump.
In a declaration, Sherrill mentioned she was “thankful” for the former president’s encouragement and implored voters to arrange to cast their ballots on or prior to Election Day.
Democratic candidate for New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill speaks to a crowd alongside Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, in Westville New Jersey on Saturday, October 11, 2025. Sherrill is set to square off against Republican nominee Jack Ciattarelli on November 4 for the position as New Jersey’s 57th Governor.Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images
“This November, we are presented with a chance to design a different course ahead—to dismiss the disarray in Washington and decrease expenses in New Jersey—and I am deeply appreciative of having President Obama’s backing and endorsement in this campaign. President Obama spearheaded significant initiatives to bring down healthcare expenses, and presently, Jack Ciattarelli is completely behind Trump’s strategies to elevate premiums and strip hundreds of thousands of New Jersey residents of their healthcare,” Sherrill expressed.
According to a recent Quinnipiac analysis, Sherrill is ahead of Ciattarelli by six percentage points. The same survey showed that New Jersey voters believe Sherrill would perform a superior job in administering schools and the NJ transit system, with 61% of probable voters indicating that Sherrill’s history of serving in the U.S. Navy for nine years enhances their perception of her.
Two gubernatorial contests are dominating this forthcoming off-cycle Election Day, as Democrats aspire to maintain their hold in the Garden State and gain power from Republicans in Virginia, considering both incumbents are restricted by term limits. On Wednesday, Obama promoted Virginia Democrats’ nominee for governor, former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, in a comparable manner.
Obama has openly voiced his backing for Sherrill, whom he identifies as a “friend” within the advertisement. His initial fundraising endeavor since the November elections occurred with the Democratic National Committee in New Jersey, dating back to June, where he made an appearance alongside Sherrill.
Additional Democratic figures from outside the state are also contributing support to Sherrill in the waning weeks of the campaign, with Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer slated to campaign alongside her over the weekend.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
