Obama to stump for Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey governor race
Former President Barack Obama is set to campaign for Rep. Mikie Sherrill, the Democratic nominee in the 2025 New Jersey gubernatorial race, by headlining a fundraiser alongside Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin. The event,hosted by Governor Phil Murphy and his wife in Red Bank,marks Obama’s first fundraiser since the 2024 election cycle. the New Jersey race is considered one of the most important political contests of 2025. Sherrill faces a competitive race against Republican Jack ciattarelli, who narrowly lost the 2021 governor’s race. Polls currently show Sherrill with an early lead, but experts caution the race remains fluid. Obama’s popularity and support are seen as key assets for boosting voter enthusiasm in the crucial battleground state.
Obama to stump for Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey governor race
Former President Barack Obama will campaign for Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ), the New Jersey Democratic gubernatorial nominee, on Friday alongside Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin.
The pair will headline a fundraiser in Red Bank, New Jersey, hosted by Gov. Phil Murphy (D-NJ) and first lady Tammy Murphy. The New Jersey race is one of the most critical political races of 2025, alongside the Virginia gubernatorial race. Axios reported Obama’s attendance.
The fundraiser is Obama’s first since the 2024 election cycle, which saw Democrats lose the White House and the House and Senate. The event is sold out and set to be a “dinner and discussion.” The proceeds will go to the DNC.
Obama raised $85 million for Democrats in the 2024 election, according to his office.
Obama dominated New Jersey in his 2008 and 2012 presidential runs, winning both times by over 15 points. Former Vice President Kamala Harris saw Democrats unenthusiastic in 2024, as she won the state by about 6 points, the lowest support for a Democrat in the state since the 1996 election.
The New Jersey gubernatorial race is expected to be highly competitive, and Sherrill will likely need to boost voter enthusiasm, helped by Obama’s support, to beat Republican nominee Jack Ciattarelli. Ciattarelli came within about 3 points of beating Murphy in the 2021 election, the closest a Republican has come to the top office in the state since former Gov. Chris Christie won in 2013.
New Jersey is much more competitive for Republicans in its gubernatorial races, electing centrist Republicans like Christine Todd Whitman and Christie for two terms each from 1994 to 2001 and 2010 to 2018, respectively.
Obama remains well liked. He is the most popular among living U.S. presidents, with a 58% approval rating in a Gallup poll from February. His favorability ratings are likely higher in New Jersey, a Democratic stronghold.
Sherrill has emphasized that Ciattarelli’s support for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will affect medical coverage and affordability for state residents, while the Republican has slammed the congresswoman on stock trading efforts.
A Rutgers poll released earlier this month showed Sherrill with a 51%-31% lead over Ciattarelli, with 13% of voters undecided. The disparity gives the Democrat an early lead in the race, though the poll’s director cautioned against taking it too seriously.
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The poll “should serve as a baseline or a barometer of how voters are feeling in the moment — not as some crystal ball predicting the future four months from now,” said Ashley Koning, its polling director.
“A lot can happen between now and November, and we know this gap will very likely narrow in the next several months,” she said.
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