OLD BRIDGE, NJ — A Democratic New Jersey town councilman has publicly warned that his party’s gubernatorial nominee, Rep. Mikie Sherrill, is “not cut out for the job.”
Branchville Councilman Jeff Lewis is one of at least 13 elected Garden State Democrats backing Republican Jack Ciattarelli in next week’s election.
“She hasn’t done anything to enthuse me,” Lewis told Fox News’ “America Reports” Wednesday. “She keeps running with her commercials [on] the fact she’s a helicopter pilot and a mom of four, and she thinks she’s going to be able to lower electrical bills, which I think she’s going to have a very hard time doing.”
Lewis added that he “absolutely” feels that Ciattarelli has enough support to secure the governor’s mansion in Trenton.
Polls have shown a tight race between Ciattarelli and Sherrill, though the congresswoman still holds a 3.2 percentage point lead, according to the latest RealClearPolitics polling aggregate.
Strikingly, a recent Quantus Insights poll that showed Sherrill in the lead found that a majority of New Jerseyans believe their coworkers and neighbors are backing Ciattarelli.
Ciattarelli overperformed polling expectations during his last gubernatorial run in 2021, coming within 3.2 percentage points of unseating Democratic incumbent Phil Murphy, who is barred from running this time around.
Lewis voted for President Trump last November and insists he’s still a Democrat despite his frustrations with the party.
“My mom was a Democrat. When it came time to actually register, you just automatically register as a Democrat,” he explained. “But it doesn’t necessarily mean that through the years I always vote[d] to be with the Democratic Party.”
In recent months, Republicans have netted more registered voters in New Jersey than Democrats and the Garden State has seemingly grown more competitive.
“People are kind of tired of the same old,” Lewis said. “Shoving down things, saying this is the way it must be.”
Lewis is joined in endorsing Ciattarelli by North Bergen Mayor Nick Sacco, Branchville Mayor Anthony Frato, Garfield Mayor Everett Garnto, Dover Mayor Jim Dodd, and North Bergen Commissioner Allen Pascual, among others.
Ciattarelli has frequently touted the Democratic defections on the campaign trail.
“When Democrats start endorsing the Republican nominee, it tells you how badly people want change,” Ciattarelli told voters during a rally in Old Bridge Wednesday.
Ahead of Election Day, Sherrill is getting a boost from A-list Democrats, including former President Barack Obama, ex-Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.
