Latest news with #GovernorRace
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
NJ governor election: Sherrill, Ciattarelli share their visions on South Jersey issues
Voters in the June 10 primary have decided that the major party nominees for governor of New Jersey will be former Republican Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli and Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill, D-NJ. The two nominees were asked this week about offshore wind power development, light-rail expansion and the agriculture industry. These are topics that may come up between now and the general election in November and are of special interest to South Jersey residents. More: Has South Jersey made this blue state more of a purple? Governor race may test the notion. The development of offshore wind turbine farms to produce 'renewable' electricity is in a state of suspension as of January, and its future is uncertain in the face of regulatory and court appeals from opponents and supporters. According to Ciattarelli's campaign, he opposes offshore wind projects and supports efforts to cancel them. Offshore wind: NJ's next governor will have offshore wind farms — and their opponents — to consider Sherrill has taken an opposing stance. She said that she wants the state to invest clean energy to lower prices for consumers. She added that U.S. President Donald Trump has made it difficult to pursue wind projects. 'As we move forward with our energy planning, we need to combat these federal attacks with improved state-level planning for projects to ensure that state permitting processes work quickly and efficiently," Sherrill said. 'We need to expand into other clean energy sources, and as governor, I am going to boost our state's solar capacity by using state properties to host solar projects, expanding access to community solar, and pressuring PJM, our regional grid operator, to plug clean energy into the grid. Solar is clean, cheap, and the key to lowering New Jerseyans' rising utility costs while protecting our environment.' Gov. Phil Murphy and members of his administration want to see some action this year on the Glassboro-Camden Line. The proposal for this line, which would be approximately 18 miles of passenger light rail service between the Glassboro and Camden communities, has been defeated repeatedly by voters in the communities along the route. 'South Jersey deserves more infrastructure investment. Period," Ciattarelli said. "The fact that South Jersey businesses today are forced to pay a tax that funds NJ Transit, yet have limited to zero access to NJ Transit, is just plain wrong. 'That said, many communities that the proposed line would run through have strongly opposed the line. As governor, I would not force these communities to accept a rail line they do not support.' NJ Transit: How GCL rail, other South Jersey public transit initiatives may hinge on governor's race Sherrill, meanwhile, said she's in full support of completing the Glassboro-Camden Line. "As I have traveled across South Jersey, I've heard from far too many residents that NJ TRANSIT means 'North Jersey Transit.' That must change," Sherrill said. "As governor, I will make sure that South Jersey always has a seat at the table as we work to build the Glassboro-Camden light rail and expand bus routes.' More: Winners declared in NJ primary for governor Agriculture in New Jersey is a $1-billion-plus per year industry. Funding for research and promotion programs is a regular concern for its proponents. Industry leaders have also said they're leery of new environmental regulations, such as the proposed NJ REAL regulation regarding flood mitigation. 'This (NJ REAL) proposal is regulatory overkill and is DOA if I am governor," Ciattarelli said. "The idea that residents along the shore should be forced into 'managed retreat' is a non-starter for me. I will pause enforcement of these rules and reopen discussions with affected communities, business leaders, and other stakeholders.' Ag issues: New Jersey farmers want to see these concerns tackled by a new governor Sherrill noted that New Jersey is known as the Garden State for a reason, pointing to its production of corn, tomatoes and blueberries and its nearly 10,000 farms. 'As governor, I will support farmers and farmland preservation to strengthen our agricultural industry. I'll do so by creating a new focus at the NJ Economic Development Authority on incentives and economic assistance to support farming," Sherrill said. Her response didn't touch on NJ REAL regulations, but focused on the need to increasing investments in agriculture. 'New Jersey needs to innovate to ensure that when farms are sold, the state has programs to incentivize new owners to maintain operations. I will also create new loan programs for new farmers, including those at urban farms," Sherrill said. 'With the federal rollbacks in research, development, and education funding, it's more important than ever that we support agriculture extension and research operations at Rutgers University. Each year in Congress, I have fought for federal funding to support Rutgers' programming in a range of different areas, and I will continue to strongly support the world-class programs run by Rutgers that are going to bolster our agricultural industry and our overall economy.' Joe Smith is a N.E. Philly native transplanted to South Jersey 36 years ago, keeping an eye now on government in South Jersey. He is a former editor and current senior staff writer for The Daily Journal in Vineland, Courier-Post in Cherry Hill, and the Burlington County Times. Have a tip? Support local journalism with a subscription. This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Sherrill, Ciattarelli differ on offshore wind, light rail projects
Associated Press
12 hours ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Democrats in Virginia have a hefty fundraising advantage heading into November general election
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Democrats in Virginia have built up a hefty fundraising advantage for their effort to reclaim the governor's mansion in a November election that is seen as a bellwether for the party in power in Washington ahead of the 2026 midterms. Democrat Abigail Spanberger, a former CIA spy turned congresswoman, has a more than 2-to-1 fundraising advantage over her GOP opponent for governor, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, who has struggled to draw support from her fellow Republicans. Both were unopposed for their party's nominations and were able to focus on the fall general election without having to overcome a challenge in this week's primaries. The match-up means Virginia is all but certain to elect the state's first female governor. Spanberger has amassed $6.5 million toward her campaign for governor over the last two months after raising $6.7 million between January and March, according to the nonpartisan Virginia Public Access Project. Combined with the money Spanberger raised in 2024, she has gathered $22.8 million and still has $14.3 million in her coffers. Earle-Sears, meanwhile, spent more than she earned between April and June, bringing in $3.5 million and spending $4.6 million. Between January and March, she also raised a little over $3.1 million. In total, she has raked in nearly $9.2 million since launching her campaign last September. Now, she has a little under $3 million in the bank, according to Virginia Public Access Project data. In a statement, Earle-Sears' campaign said the candidate is putting forward a message for Virginians that money can't buy. 'Clearly the Spanberger campaign needs a lot of help attempting to erase Abigail's bad voting record on issues that actually matter to Virginians,' press secretary Peyton Vogel said in an email. 'This race isn't being bought — it's being built on a message that matters.' Virginia is one of two states, along with New Jersey, that host statewide elections this year. The contests will be closely watched as a measure of whether voters in the shadow of Washington will embrace President Donald Trump's aggressive effort to overhaul the federal government, or be repelled by it. Democrats' outsized fundraising lead ahead of the primaries may reflect local Democratic enthusiasm and the party's ability to push people to the polls in light of Trump being in office. Mark J. Rozell, dean of George Mason University's Schar School of Policy and Government, also referenced the noticeable frostiness among leading state Republicans. The party's statewide nominees have yet to campaign together, despite securing their nominations at the end of April. 'Enthusiasm drives fundraising and in Virginia right now the Democrats' voting base has much greater enthusiasm' than Republicans, Rozell said. 'It is reminiscent of Trump's first term in office when Democratic fundraising and ultimately voting overwhelmed the Republicans in Virginia.' Money does not guarantee success, however. In the last Virginia governor's race, former Gov. Terry McAuliffe outspent Republican Glenn Youngkin, who had invested $20 million of his own money in the race. Youngkin still clinched the election by nearly two points. Youngkin, who is term-limited from seeking reelection, has offered more than $21,000 in support to Earle-Sears through his political action committee. When asked whether he would donate more, his PAC responded, 'Governor Youngkin is working to elect the entire GOP ticket and is urging all Virginians to support the commonsense team this November to keep Virginia winning.' The Democrats' fundraising advantage isn't confined to the governor's race. State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, who eked out a primary win in a close three-way contest for lieutenant governor, raised nearly $1.8 million in her primary race and has $462,000 remaining. The Republican nominee, conservative talk-radio host John Reid, raised nearly $312,000 since launching his campaign and has $116,000 remaining. The only statewide GOP candidate with a fundraising lead, incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares, has $2.3 million in the bank after raising a total of $4.6 million. His Democratic opponent, Jay Jones, has raised $2.7 million. He had about $493,000 left at the beginning of June, reports show. This year, all three Democratic statewide candidates are backed by Clean Virginia, a political group that pushes for clean energy and often takes on legislative challenges against Dominion Energy, Virginia's largest utility. The two groups are some of the most influential entities lobbying on state politics and policy. With energy demand likely to be a key issue in November, their influence could be significant. According to the nonpartisan public-access group, Spanberger has taken in $465,000 from the environmental organization. On Tuesday, Clean Virginia endorsed Hashmi's candidacy for lieutenant governor, following its previous donations to her state Senate campaign committee. During his campaign, Jones also received $1.5 million from Clean Virginia, while his primary opponent, Democrat Shannon Taylor, accepted $800,000 from Dominion Energy between 2024 and 2025. Clean Virginia released attack ads targeting Taylor for accepting Dominion money. The energy utility has become entangled in other statewide battles. On the Republican ticket, Earle-Sears accepted $50,000 from Dominion in March. Miyares also gained $450,000 from the utility so far this year. Clean Virginia has donated to both Democrats and Republicans, including to candidates running for the House of Delegates, where all 100 members are up for reelection in November. Democrats who control the legislature are hoping to keep or expand their thin majority and amend the state's Constitution to protect rights to voting, marriage equality and abortion. Democratic candidates have raised about $16.9 million in those races, with $3.2 million stemming from House Speaker Don Scott. Meanwhile, Republicans have raised $8.8 million, with former Minority Leader Todd Gilbert earning over $643,000, and newly tapped Minority Leader Terry Kilgore raising nearly $470,000. ——— Olivia Diaz is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
CNN
6 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Rep. Byron Donalds: Americans do not trust Democrats to fix the border
Florida Republican Congressman Byron Donalds and candidate for governor explains how previous administrations failed to properly address the immigration crisis.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ciattarelli, Sherrill win NJ primaries for governor. Check our live blog for all results
Hello and welcome to blog for New Jersey's 2025 primary election. Check here often for color from our reporters and analysts spread out at candidates' election night headquarters — and don't forget to check back for actual results now that polls have close at 8 p.m. and the counting has begun. There are a number of races on the ballots, including the 11 Democrats and Republicans vying to be their party's nominee for governor as Gov. Phil Murphy ends his final term in January. Our team of reporters at polling places and candidates' headquarters are ready to give updates as they happen. So sit back and enjoy the ride. -Scott FallonThe battle for the governor's seat began as heated as a burger on the White Manna grill. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, the Democratic nominee, fired the first salvo of the campaign during her acceptance speech. "A state like this is not gonna be led by a Trump-lackey like Jack Ciattarelli," she said to applause. "I'm ready to shake up the status quo, and Jack is the status quo," she said. "He's not change. He's a rerun. He's a ghost of elections past." Ciattarelli, the GOP nominee, didn't hold back either. S 'If you took a shot every time Mikie Sherrill says Trump … you will be drunk off your ass between now and Nov. 4,' Ciattarelli said before going on to say he truly believes the 'future of our state hangs in the balance.' The former assemblyman said the Democratic Party is focused more on pronouns than property taxes and said 'a vote for Mikie Sherrill is a vote for another four years of Phil Murphy.' -Erik Larsen and Gabrielle Kutsup Newark Mayor Ras Baraka: "We're never going to concede fighting authoritarianism. We're never going to concede fighting dictatorships. Standing up for the Constitution. Standing up for democracy." Former Senate President Steve Sweeney: 'While the outcome is not what we hoped for, I couldn't be more grateful to every supporter, volunteer, and voter who believed in my campaign and my vision for New Jersey.' Rep. Josh Gottheimer: "I'll never forget the faith you've put in me for the awesome responsibility you've given me to look after the Fifth District, whether that's a hungry child, a veteran, a struggling small business owner, an American held hostage in a tunnel, or a senior worried about her Social Security."New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller: 'First, I want to congratulate Congresswoman Sherrill on her hard-fought victory tonight. Now is the time for all of us to come together and ensure that an extreme politician like Jack Ciattarelli never sets foot in the governor's office." During the close of their final debate last month, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop argued that Democrats would be in danger of losing in November if the party selected a nominee who was embraced by party establishment led by Governor Murphy — a clear reference to Rep. Mikie Sherrill who stood nearby on the stage. Fulop's point was that New Jersey's Democratic Party was vulnerable to the inevitable attack by Jack Ciattarelli and Republicans that the Democrats had been in charge far too long and that Sherrill would make an easy of that argument Tuesday night, Dan Bryan, a longtime Murphy adviser and informal consultant to the Sherrill race, offered this: 'Voters told you tonight what they thought about Steve Fulop's argument.' -Charles Stile It didn't take long for the national political groups to take credit for Tuesday's primary results. The Republican State Legislative Committee, which claims to have spent $1 million on the race, began trumpeting what will be a key theme of Republican nominee Jack Ciattarelli's campaign: that Democrats have ruled the roost in Trenton far too long and voters are now demanding change. 'For too long, the Democrats in Trenton have prioritized a reckless tax-and-spend agenda over the needs of the people in the Garden State. With New Jersey Republicans rallying around Jack Ciattarelli, we are well positioned to hold Democrats accountable for their poor record and work to deliver the real change that has been promised,'' the group said in a statement. The Democratic Governors Association chair, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, praised Sherrill on her win."As a former Navy helicopter pilot and federal prosecutor, Mikie served our country and took on tough fights to keep New Jerseyans safe, and during her time in Congress, she worked to lower costs, create good-paying jobs, and protect reproductive rights," Kelly said in a statement. "Now she's running to make life easier for Garden State families by creating economic opportunity, building more affordable housing, lowering costs, and funding public schools." The New Jersey and Virginia races for governor stand to grab the national spotlight this fall as the nation's lone statewide races. Party leaders are hoping that the outcome will serve as a barometer on President Trump's chaotic first year before next year's crucial midterm elections. -Charles Stile It'll be Mikie vs Jack this November. U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill won the Democratic nomination for governor in a race called by the Associated Press and New York Times. She will be up against former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli who received the GOP nod earlier in the evening. Sherrill emerged for a large field of candidates that included Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, Rep. Josh Gottheimer, New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller and former state Senate President Steve Sweeney. -Scott Fallon Former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli will be the Republican nominee for governor for a second time in a race called by the Associated Press and Washington Post. It took the news organizations less than a half hour after polls closed to make the call. Ciattarelli was leading in the polls heading into the primary over state Sen. Jon Bramnick, former radio personality Bill Spadea, former Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac, and Burlington County contractor Justin Barbera. -Scott Fallon It's been months of leaflets clogging mailboxes and a barrage of television ads every night from most of the 11 Democratic and Republican candidates vying to be their party's candidate for New Jersey governor. But will it be enough to get voters to the polls? New Jersey has had historically low turnout for most primaries thanks in large part to the state's 2.4 million unaffiliated voters. But they vary by the gravity of the election. Turnout this year might be a bit higher since the primary contest is for an open governor's seat for the first time since 2017 when Gov. Chris Christie's last term was expiring. About 15% of voters went to the polls in the 2017 primary. Primaries when the presidency is on the line draws more, with about 26% of voters casting ballots last year. When no major seat is up for grabs, turnout is usually in the single digits. Some poll workers interviewed on Tuesday were less than optimistic about reversing those trends. The rainy weather through the morning and early afternoon, many said, brought few voters out earlier in the day. -Scott Fallon It was a quiet and gloomy day at the polling center at the Senior Center of Hasbrouck Heights. The gray skies hung low as voters trickled in and out. Some residents walked out smiling, confident in their choices, while others wore more pensive expressions, weary and uncertain about what the results might bring. Hasbrouck Heights resident Jenna Santana, 45, felt it was important to vote in this year's primary. However, she said the new ballot design could negatively impact the voting process. 'I don't like it," Santana said. "I think that it was fine for me, but I feel like for people who aren't familiar with this new way and putting it in a folder and printing it, it could be very confusing and intimidating.' For others, like father-daughter duo Fred Blake, 65, and Kyra Blake, 18, the new voting format did not cause any issues. Fred Blake said 'taxes and quality of life' were two main reasons that brought him to the poll, whereas Kyra Blake was mainly excited to experience this milestone for the first time. 'I just turned 18. I wanted to go and do my civic duty for the nation,' she said. Hasbrouck Heights resident Jackie Dykeman, 58, felt voting this year could impact how national issues are handled. 'I'm really concerned about making sure we get a governor who is going to help fight against Trump and what he's doing to our country,' Dykeman said. Despite the quiet turnout, the day carried the weight of high hopes and deeper concerns about the future. -Jenna Mattern Ridgewood's polling booth at George Washington Middle School was quiet most of the day. But voters began arriving after stormy weather started to clear around 3 p.m. Claudio Barrigo, a 59-year-old Democrat, said his primary issue is lower taxes but he also believes state government needs to be stronger to make up for looming cuts to services at the federal level. He voted for former Senate President Steve Sweeney. "This year is very important because of the current federal government,' he said. 'It's very disruptive." The rain didn't wash out all the voters this morning. There was a slow but steady stream of people voting at the Pequannock Township Library. The new ballot design was noticed by voters. 'Yeah, big difference,' Lenny Barone said, who has lived in Pompton Plains for over 30 years. 'It was confusing at first, but it was fine.' There was a mix of different voters at the polling location, but most said they voted for either Jack Ciattarelli among the three Republican candidates for governor, or Mikie Sherrill among the six Democratic candidates for governor. -Liam Kahan and Gabrielle Kutsup Susan Mortaro was thrilled to hear what Rep. Josh Gottheimer had to say about lowering her taxes. That is the main reason why the Wayne resident voted for the five-term congressman from Bergen County to be the Democratic nominee for governor. Gottheimer campaigned heavily on a 'Tax Cut Plan for Jersey,' airing commercials on network TV for the past several weeks. There was something else that charmed Mortaro. 'He seems like a nice person,' she said. 'Like an everyday kind of guy.' Mortaro, 78, was among 31 voters who trickled in to the gymnasium at Ryerson School to cast ballots by noon on June 10. Poll workers acknowledged that it was a meager turnout. The K-5 school, which is about 500 feet west of the southbound lanes of Route 23, is the polling place for two voting districts in the flood-prone 1st Ward. Helen Fernicola, a registered Republican, said she voted for former state Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli of Somerset County to be the party nominee for governor because she agreed with his position on immigration reform. She said she also believes that he can help those on fixed incomes. 'Taxes are crazy,' said Fernicola, 84. 'Utility bills are off the wall — it's just nuts.' Roy Rosimini, a registered Republican, pulled up to the school parking lot in a large pickup truck and a big idea on his mind: Harmony between the parties. The country should do away with its two-party political system and implement a one-party system of government, he said. 'Give it a shot to see if it works for the people,' he added. 'Even the news channels are different — everything's different,' said Rosimini, 70, a longtime township resident. 'The only time this country really comes together is when we have a tragedy. Other than that, we're always bickering.' - Philip DeVencentis With about eight hours until polls close, Jersey City Mayor and Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Steve Fulop stopped by The Pickled Herring in Marlboro to chat with supporters and grab lunch. Fulop said that he was 'excited, nervous, stressed, anxious and all the other adjectives' about the day that is ultimately the culmination of his more than two year campaign to represent his party on ballots in this fall's gubernatorial election. 'I'm optimistic and hopeful but ultimately it's in the voters hands now,' he said. 'The response has been good.' Other candidates on the Democratic side also spent the morning doing some last-minute campaigning, including Reps. Mikie Sherrill and Josh Gottheimer, who greeted rail commuters at stations in Essex and Bergen Counties respectively. Republican Jack Ciattarelli spent the afternoon with supporters at a Raritan pizza parlor. John Bramnick worked the room at a YMCA fundraiser in Westfield on Monday night. Fulop said that he expects there will be a decision tonight or at least a clear indicator in the six way Democratic primary for the state's top elected office. As for that lunch order? Fulop said he was going with matzo ball soup and would defer to Marlboro Mayor Jonathan Hornik for anything to go with it. -Katie Sobko In addition to the governor's primary races, there are also some contested local primary elections and some contested elections for nominations in the race for seats in the New Jersey Assembly, the lower house of the state legislature. Here's our complete guide to New Jersey's June 10 primary. There's information on who's running for each seat, how much money they've raised, and the candidates' positions on a number of key issues facing the state, including how they'd tackle climate change, how they'd preserve access to Medicaid, their stance on LGBTQ+ rights and abortion, and how they would fund education. This article originally appeared on NJ primary Election Day 2025: Live coverage, results
CBS News
10-06-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
When do polls close in the N.J. governor primary elections?
New Jersey primary voters head to the polls New Jersey primary voters head to the polls New Jersey primary voters head to the polls It's Election Day in New Jersey, and voters are heading to the polls Tuesday to choose the Democratic and Republican nominees for governor in the 2025 primaries. The winner of each party's primary will advance to the November general election. New Jersey primary election poll hours Voters can cast their ballots at polling places across New Jersey starting at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, June 10. Polls close at 8 p.m. Those in line before the polls close will be allowed to vote. CLICK HERE to find your polling place. How to vote in the New Jersey primary There are three ways to vote in the New Jersey primary, including by mail, in-person early voting or at your polling place on the day of the election. If you are a registered Democrat or Republican, you may vote only in your party's primary. Unaffiliated voters must declare which party's primary they are going to vote in. Remember to check the deadlines if you plan to vote by mail-in ballot. The early voting window closed on June 8. Does New Jersey require voter ID? For the most part, New Jersey does not require people to present ID when voting. Voters will be asked to show ID at their polling place if they did not present it when registering. In certain situations, voters will be given a provisional ballot. Who is running for New Jersey governor? There are six Democrats and five Republicans running for governor of New Jersey. The Democratic primary candidates are Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller, and former State Senate President Steve Sweeney. The Republican primary candidates are Burlington County contractor and business owner Justin Barbera, State Sen. Jon Bramnick, former State Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, lawyer and former Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac, and former radio host Bill Spadea. Gov. Phil Murphy, who narrowly defeated Ciattarelli in the 2021 general election, is term-limited and cannot run for reelection. CLICK HERE to watch interviews with the candidates.
