Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) has been declared the winner of New Jersey’s gubernatorial election, according to projections from Decision Desk HQ at 8:13 p.m. ET. The fourth-term congresswoman, representing a northern New Jersey district, overcame a fiercely contested challenge from Thomas Ciattarelli, who sought his third run for governor after narrowly losing to incumbent Gov. Phil Murphy (D) in 2021. Murphy’s term limits barred him from seeking re-election.

The race intensified in recent weeks, with polls indicating a closely balanced contest as both candidates navigated shifting political landscapes. For Democrats, the state had not elected a governor from their party three consecutive times since 1961, while frustration over an affordability crisis—despite Democratic control of the state legislature—posed challenges. Republicans faced difficulties stemming from President Donald Trump’s unpopularity in New Jersey, even as the party gained traction in recent elections. Ciattarelli struggled to balance support for Trump with efforts to distance himself from the president’s polarizing legacy.

Both candidates maintained roughly equal campaign funding, making the race a critical gauge of voter sentiment less than a year into Trump’s second term. New Jersey emerged as one of several states where Trump improved his 2024 performance, increasing his vote share by approximately five percentage points compared to 2020. While Democrat Kamala Harris carried the state, her six-point margin marked the narrowest for her party since 1992.

New Jersey’s gubernatorial elections have historically shown inconsistency, with Republican Chris Christie serving two terms from 2010 to 2018 before Murphy’s victory in 2019. The state had long followed a pattern of electing governors from the opposing party of the sitting president, a trend broken in 2021 when Murphy won during Joe Biden’s first year in office.