Students weigh in on New Jersey gubernatorial election

By Caroline Haviland

In the week leading up to Election Day on Nov. 4, many Rider students have filtered through differing policies to settle on a candidate of their choice for New Jersey’s next governor: Republican nominee Jack Ciattarelli or Democratic nominee Mikie Sherrill. Numerous sources interviewed by The Rider News vocalized their support for Sherrill due to an opposition to Ciattarelli’s policies and his endorsement from President Donald Trump. 

Micah Rasmussen, director of Rider’s Rebovich Institute of New Jersey Politics, noted Sherrill’s current 5 point lead over Ciattarelli in the polls as “not a safety territory.” New Jersey’s last gubernatorial election in 2021 was decided by a narrow 84,000 votes, Rasmussen said, and he expects this year’s to mirror the same proximity. 

Ciattarelli’s presidential endorsement

The 2025 election marks Ciattarelli’s third run for governor. His first attempt at a spot in Trenton, New Jersey, was in the 2017 election, but he came close to victory as the Republican nominee in 2021 to challenge Governor Phil Murphy’s shot at a second term. 

Now, four years later, Rasmussen said people are drawn to Ciattarelli because the politician has not stopped campaigning and interacting with people over the last decade, marking it as “a head’s-up campaign.” However, the political science professor marked the one downside to Ciattarelli’s run for governor as his tie to an unpopular White House. 

“The battle lines are drawn. If you’re a Trump supporter, then you’re very solidly behind Ciattarelli, and if you’re on the other side of the fence, you’re not going to like Ciattarelli very much,” Rasmussen said. 

Joe Seewald, a senior political science major, said “it’s not completely fair” to align Ciattarelli supporters with Trump since many voters, like himself, could view the two politicians differently. 

“If you look at myself, I didn’t vote for Donald Trump,” Seewald said. “I don’t think it’s a completely fair assumption, but it’s the same party.”

Seewald, who said he plans to vote for Ciattarelli on Election Day, has followed this election season closely, and said he views the Republican candidate’s run for governor as a sincere effort to get New Jersey off the wrong track. 

Trump, Seewald said, differs in how he conducts himself as a politician, noting a touch of selfishness in his previous campaigns. 

Other students, however, cannot look past the president’s endorsement of Ciattarelli. 

Heather Schaab, a senior political science major who plans to vote for Sherrill, said her problems with Trump and his policies have been adjoined to her qualms with Ciattarelli since the Republican nominee has not taken a stand against the president on certain issues. 

“If Trump’s violating the Constitution, why is Ciattarelli not standing his ground and saying something about it,” Schaab said. “I don’t think I could ever vote for somebody that could align with Trump.” 

Possible futures 

Seewald noted future promises that Ciattarelli has made in his campaign that he found beneficial for New Jersey, like the creation of county mental health clinics and conjoining municipalities to lessen the cost of living in certain areas. Additionally, Seewald said a positive to Ciattarelli’s potential election is the political resume he offers, filled with concrete examples of him doing what he says.

“Jack’s not someone who has sat on his hands for a while,” Seewald said. 

On the other side of the ballot is Sherrill, New Jersey’s representative for its 11th Congressional District. 

Rasmussen said her differing, unique background is what appeals to many voters, as being a mother of four, a former prosecutor and a U.S. Navy helicopter pilot is “an unusual combination for a politician running for higher office.”

Schaab said she has always viewed the congresswoman as an inspiration, and received an opportunity to work for Sherrill’s campaign by reaching out to her numerous offices. Due to her time spent canvassing and phone banking for the campaign, Schaab got the chance to be Sherrill’s candidate guide at Rider’s gubernatorial debate on Sept. 21. 

In her experience with the Democratic nominee, Schaab said she personally sees Sherrill has a drive for New Jerseyans, and her work in Washington echoes that same sentiment.  

Sherrill’s campaign has centered around numerous agendas that Schaab aligns with, such as expanding the child and income tax credit for lower and middle income families and supporting the negotiation of drug prices for those on Medicaid. 

Schaab also said the candidate’s plans to increase criminal justice reform programs and her support of diversity, equity and inclusion are positive factors that point New Jersey in the right direction. 

Morgan Frazier, a junior psychology major, said the main reason she voted early for Sherrill is due to a disagreement with Ciattarelli’s beliefs, what he stands for and what his plans are for New Jersey.

Emilie Felix, a junior biochemistry major, said she will vote for Sherrill out of fear of what would happen to New Jersey if it “turned red.” 

However, contrary to popular belief of New Jersey being a purely Democratic state, Rasmussen pointed out it has a history of the governor seat switching parties. This pattern has persisted since the 1960s, which was the last time New Jersey gave a party more than two terms as a governor. 

If Sherrill wins the election, Rasmussen said, she would defy a historical trend to get a third term for her party, but her task is proving she would not be a third term of Murphy.

Seewald said a differing stance from the current governor is not something he has seen Sherrill offer in her campaign, and hopes the state will go in another direction. 

“Sherrill lacks substance … [She] rings to me as if it is just [Gov.] Phil Murphy with a new coat of paint on it,” Seewald said. 

Schaab disagreed, saying the Democratic candidate has been critical of Murphy and stood against his past decisions, such as cutting funding for community colleges. 

“She’s willing to take a step back and do what’s best for New Jersey,” Schaab said. 

Despite the debate of who can govern best, New Jerseyans will make a decision on Nov. 4, naming the state’s leader for the next four years. Rasmussen said whoever it is has a tough feat ahead of them.

“New Jersey’s not an easy place to govern,” Rasmussen said. “We kind of chew up our governors and spit them back out again.”