Mikie Sherrill Ready To Take On ‘Extremist’ GOP Challengers In NJ-11

NEW JERSEY — U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill had an optimistic declaration for her supporters after cinching the Democratic Party nomination for a third term on Tuesday: the 11th District will “hold the House” against her Republican challenger in November – no matter who they might be.

Sherrill, a U.S. Navy veteran and former federal prosecutor who represents several towns in Essex, Morris and Passaic counties, ran uncontested for the Democrat nod in the 2022 primary election.

She was first elected in 2018, taking the place of longtime GOP power player Rodney Frelinghuysen, who retired before the end of that election cycle.

Sherrill will match up against the winner of a large field of Republicans in the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 8. Only five made the ballot, but there was no shortage of GOP challengers seeking to unseat Sherrill this year.

While results aren’t certified yet, the Associated Press has declared Paul DeGroot, a former Passaic County prosecutor, as the winner of the Republican primary. Read More: NJ 11th Congressional District Primary: Paul DeGroot Wins, AP Says

Sherrill’s campaign manager, Jackie Burns, didn’t pull punches in a campaign statement released Wednesday. She wrote:

“Republicans are divided and have failed to unite around any one candidate because their choices in this primary ranged from bad to worse. Voters were faced with candidates radically out of step with what New Jerseyans want: a leader who chooses unity over division, pointing the way forward over pointing fingers, and is focused on bringing down costs, standing up for our kids and gun safety, and defending women’s rights. That’s why 11th District voters overwhelmingly supported Navy veteran Mikie Sherrill in her primary and will reelect her in November to continue putting country ahead of party and delivering for New Jersey.”

Burns concluded:

“The candidates in this fractured, nasty primary combined to deliver a weak and underwhelming showing — while Mikie Sherrill earned more votes in her uncontested primary election than all five Republican candidates combined. Voters in Essex, Morris, and Passaic will continue to reject this brand of extremism in the fall.”

The 11th District includes the following municipalities:

Essex – Belleville, Bloomfield, Cedar Grove, Fairfield, Glen Ridge, Livingston, Maplewood, Millburn, Montclair (part), North Caldwell, Nutley, Roseland, South Orange, West Caldwell

Morris – Boonton, Boonton Township, Butler, Chatham, Chatham Township, Denville, Dover, East Hanover, Florham Park, Hanover, Harding, Jefferson, Kinnelon, Lincoln Park, Madison, Mendham Twp (part), Montville, Morris Plains, Morris Township, Morristown Town, Mountain Lakes, Parsippany-Troy Hills, Pequannock, Randolph, Riverdale, Rockaway, Rockaway Township, Victory Gardens

Passaic – Little Falls, Totowa, Wayne (part), Woodland Park

REPUBLICANS: NO MORE ‘BIDEN-PELOSI-SHERRILL AGENDA’

Sherrill’s Republican critics haven’t been shy about putting the congresswoman on blast, either.

In his campaign announcement in November 2021, DeGroot challenged Sherrill on two recent issues that have made headlines in the district: Hurricane Ida, and the state and local tax (SALT) deduction.

"Tropical Storm Ida was one of the deadliest natural disasters for the state in the last century," DeGroot said. "Yet [Rep.] Sherrill neglected to secure proper federal aid for the deluged areas of Morris and Passaic County and beyond – even though New Jersey residents routinely step up to support other areas of the country in their times of need."

DeGroot has accused Sherrill of "missing a major opportunity" to insist on a full SALT cap repeal in the $1.2 trillion Investment and Jobs Act, which was recently signed into law by President Joe Biden. Read More: NJ House Members All Vote Yes On $1 Trillion Infrastructure Bill

DeGroot has also insisted that “America will not stay atop the global economic ladder” if Sherrill and President Joe Biden “continue their war on necessary fossil fuels that not only provide energy, but are also part of tens of thousands of products that Americans use every day.”

"Rep. Sherril wants the American people to overlook the fact that she supported President Biden's veto of the Keystone pipeline that cost thousands of Americans their well-paying jobs and reduced oil flow from Canada to the U.S.,” DeGroot said in February. “That was a big win for Russia and China.”

In May, Toby Anderson – a conservative small business owner and Iraq War Veteran – vowed to put an end to the “leftist policies and cancel culture supported by the Biden-Pelosi-Sherrill agenda” if elected.

And in September 2021, Tom Toomey – who didn’t make the ballot for the primary election – blasted Sherrill for allegedly “turning her back on Israel” while Democratic Party leadership “stripped funding for Israel’s Iron Dome system.” Toomey also accused the congresswoman of remaining silent about the protests that took place in Cuba last year.

“Mikie’s a typical Washington politician who pretends she has principles until it’s time to take a tough vote or campaign,” Toomey said.

After the new state’s new congressional map was certified last year – shifting several towns from one district to another and reportedly giving Sherrill an advantage in the 11th District – Tom Szymanski, executive director of the New Jersey Republican State Committee, warned Sherrill and other high-profile Democrats that a “red wave” is coming in November.

“The New Jersey Republican Party is fighting back, and regardless of what the boundaries are of the new congressional districts, Republicans are well-poised for several pickups around the state, owing not only to the strength of our candidates, but the many, many failures of Joe Biden and his lackies Tom Malinowski, Mikie Sherrill, Donald Norcross, Andy Kim, Josh Gottheimer, Donald Payne, Albio Sires, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Bill Pascrell and Frank Pallone,” Szymanski wrote in an email.

SHERRILL: ‘WE MUST KEEP GOING FORWARD’

Sherrill’s campaign team has maintained that there are reasons for any resident of the 11th District to re-elect the congresswoman – regardless of their political affiliation.

On Tuesday evening, the congresswoman released a campaign statement that highlighted some of her recent achievements for the district.

She wrote:

“Serving in the Navy taught me the importance of working together to accomplish a mission — of teamwork, cooperation, and putting my country’s needs ahead of my own. That’s what guides my work in Congress. I’m grateful to all the voters in New Jersey’s 11th District who share this same sense of purpose and urgency when it comes to the issues facing our communities. Thank you to everyone who took part in our democratic process and made their voices heard by casting their ballot — and to our incredible volunteers who power this team.

“As your representative, I have worked to secure key victories to save taxpayers money and make New Jersey more affordable for families.

“We funded the Gateway Tunnel Project to improve the lives of commuters and passed a historic infrastructure bill to fix our crumbling roads and bridges. We cut through bureaucratic red tape to jumpstart the construction of an Army Corps flood mitigation project for the Peckman River to protect homeowners and businesses from flooding and financial devastation. We ended surprise medical billing so a trip to the emergency room doesn’t bankrupt families. We are cleaning up our air and water, expanding child care, and investing in job training programs to support workers, families, and children. To lower costs, we are fixing our supply chain and bringing manufacturing back to the U.S.

“I have stood up to protect veterans who served our country. I fought to have the PAWS Act signed into law to provide service dogs to veterans suffering from PTSD, and I am working to get burn pits legislation across the finish line in the Senate so veterans exposed to toxic chemicals get the care they deserve.

“Each election cycle has felt more important than the last. With so much at stake — voting rights, women's rights, the environment, safety from gun violence — November's election will determine the direction of our country. We have laid an incredibly strong foundation for our future and our children's future. We must keep going forward, and that starts with holding the House and the 11th District.”

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