New Jersey governor's race is set as Mikie Sherrill and Jack Ciattarelli win their primaries

Source: NBC News

Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill and Republican Jack Ciattarelli have won their parties’ primaries for governor in New Jersey, NBC News projects, setting up one of the most closely watched races of the year.

Sherrill beat out five other Democrats for her party’s nod, pitching herself as the most electable candidate — after her party struggled in the state last year compared with other recent presidential elections — and as a Democrat willing to stand up to Trump. She also leaned heavily on her background as a former Navy helicopter pilot and on criticism of Trump.

"It's going to take a strong voice to cut through the noise from Washington and deliver for the people. So I stand here tonight doing just that. And as a mom of four teenagers, you guys know I'm not going to put up with the incompetent, whiny nonsense coming from aggrieved MAGA Republicans,” Sherrill told her supporters Tuesday at a victory rally.

Ciattarelli, who had Trump’s endorsement in the primary, defeated four other Republicans for the nomination in which he also appealed to voters' desire for electability, casting himself as the Trump ally best positioned to win the Democratic-leaning state in November. Ciattarelli came close in 2021 to defeating Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, who cannot run for re-election because of term limits. And during his victory speech, he panned Sherrill as "Phil Murphy 2.0" and pitched a vision for an inclusive GOP that would buck years of Democratic control in the state.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/new-jersey-election-results-jack-ciattarelli-mikie-sherrill-win-primar-rcna211201