Obama rallies with Mikie Sherrill as Dems try to avoid humiliating New Jersey loss

Democrats are mobilizing former President Barack Obama to rally for gubernatorial candidate Rep. Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey, aiming to prevent a significant loss in the typically blue state. Obama's appearance in Newark is an eleventh-hour effort to boost turnout for Sherrill, who is in an extremely tight race against Republican Jack Ciattarelli. Recent polling shows Sherrill leading by less than a single point, within the margin of error, highlighting the close contest. Sherrill's campaign faces challenges, including a need to energize minority Democratic voters, who represent a significant portion of Newark's population. While she holds a substantial lead among Black and Hispanic voters, the overall race is perilously close. Obama's involvement follows his prior attendance at a high-dollar fundraiser for Sherrill, a four-term House member and Navy veteran. The stakes are high for Democrats in an off-year election in a state that Joe Biden won by 16 percentage points in 2020. Ciattarelli has received support from former President Donald Trump, though Trump himself is staying out of New Jersey for the final campaign weekend. Ciattarelli has previously stated that the candidate must win the race regardless of who their opponent brings in to campaign. Sherrill has also faced scrutiny for her response to a question about her legislative priorities and for an incident during a US Naval Academy commencement. Ciattarelli, who narrowly lost to the incumbent governor in a previous election, has used these instances in his campaign ads. His strategy involves motivating Trump's base while not alienating independent voters in a purple state, especially after previously calling Trump unfit for office. The tight gubernatorial race in New Jersey, alongside Virginia's governor's race, are the only statewide contests being held. Both parties have invested heavily in the New Jersey race, with significant fundi... download the app to read more