In a landmark victory, Mikie Sherrill has clinched a third consecutive gubernatorial term for the Democrats in New Jersey, a feat not achieved since 1961. Speaking confidently about her win, Sherrill revealed on POLITICO’s “The Conversation” podcast that her success was anticipated early in the voting process. “It was just a matter of how much we'd win by,” she stated, projecting confidence that resonated with her robust campaign strategy.

Sherrill attributes some of the skepticism about her campaign to a lingering "hangover" from the 2024 elections, which perhaps skewed public perception and media narratives. However, bolstered by a surge of support at the recent “No Kings” rallies, she felt reassured of her voter base's enthusiasm and support.

Diverging from traditional Democratic strategies in New Jersey, which often hark back to an era of machine politics, Sherrill’s campaign instead pioneered an innovative statewide field program. “Because we built this a different way, I think it wasn't as clear to people how we were doing it and how we were getting our votes out,” she explained. This fresh approach, she believed, unsettled some onlookers but ultimately laid the groundwork for a decisive victory.

Sherrill, leveraging her military background, conveyed a message of decisive leadership and commitment to delivering on promises, such as reducing energy costs. With her eyes set on the future, Sherrill expressed a desire to maximize state resources in collaboration with the federal administration. “I'm really hoping we can convince the administration, ‘hey, if you want to have a comeback in this economy, this is where you start and this is how you do it,’” she remarked during the interview.

Though her political stance struck a more conservative tone compared to New York City's mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, Sherrill emphasized a shared ambition among successful Democrats to effect change, underscoring a common dedication to addressing the needs of their constituents.

POLITICO will release the full conversation with Sherrill in the upcoming episode of "The Conversation" this Friday, offering deeper insights into her strategic campaign and her plans for New Jersey’s future.

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