As New Jersey begins early voting for their gubernatorial primaries, voters are looking for candidates stories to take to the ballot box. This is where frontrunner Mikie Sherrill could find herself in trouble.
Democratic contender Rep. Josh Gottheimer weaves a tale of his upbringing in Essex County, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka touts his recent arrest at an ICE protest, and Mayor Steven Fulop builds an account of Jersey Citys transformation.
Mikie Sherrill has credentials – a current U.S. representative, former Navy pilot, and federal prosecutor – but unlike the others, she lacks a story. This could ultimately spoil her bid.
Julie Roginsky, a longtime Democratic strategist, notes that she cant tell “what [Sherrills] running on right now other than [her resume].” Many of Sherrills policy proposals on healthcare, cooperative federalism, and housing are extensions of the incumbent Murphy administration, not transformative new initiatives. In turn, voters are supporting alternatives to dissent from her unoriginality and “platitudes.”
The Sherrill campaign refuses to address the tension between her presentation and its relation to voter concerns.
Twenty-two percent of New Jerseyans rank the economy as their top issue, followed by immigration (13%) and candidate character (11%). Voters aged 50+ and older, the most powerful electoral bloc in the Garden State, prioritize property tax relief, retirement security, and long-term care reform.
Military service doesnt automatically make someone better at managing a states economy and services. Sherrill doesnt demonstrate that it can in her marketing, interviews, or speeches, either. Her campaign is betting that this doesnt matter.
A 2022 Pew Research poll found that 49% of Americans – and 53% of registered voters – said they like political leaders who are also veterans.
Sherrills campaign website is laden with military imagery, with her “about” page mentioning her armed services experience a whopping 13 times. County Democratic committees that endorsed Sherrill, such as Essex, focus on similar messaging. Even recent advertisements and her debate performance spell this background out for viewers. This is the campaigns core, and theyll mention it whenever possible.
Her campaign runs on the assumption that voters will intrinsically admire her credentials without explaining what it means for her home states future. It could be a ploy for cross-party appeal, as Republicans are more likely than Democrats to value military experience in candidates. Nevertheless, its an approach that lacks substance, and this could limit voters faith in Sherrill.
Even on the rare occasions when she does talk policy, her ideas arent new. She pledges to uphold Gov. Murphys goal of achieving 100% clean energy by 2035. She echoes Murphys stance on immigration policy by keeping New Jerseys “sanctuary” status and lauds his stance on New Jersey Transit funding. She, like Murphy, seeks to be tough on President Donald Trump and challenge federal law. Garden State powerbrokers love Sherrills continuation of the Murphy regime and have made her the establishment pick.
Yet, todays political climate increasingly rewards candidates who deviate from the status quo, and New Jersey is no exception. Murphys approval rating has steadily declined over his governorship, in part due to his lackluster transit funding plan. Only 25% of voters say his policies align with theirs, and 60% of state independents want the next governor to work with President Trump, with state voters evenly split over mass deportations.
Sherrill is imitating an already-told story, and its reception is suboptimal. By not staking out positions beyond Murphys agenda, Sherrill lets his achievements and shortcomings speak for her. That might not cut it in an open election.
While name recognition, fundraising, and endorsements can render a campaign competitive at the surface level, narratives require ownership. German philosopher Martin Heidegger once discussed the concept of eigentlichkeit, or authenticity, in which individuals must choose and commit to a meaningful path rather than living passively or according to external scripts. A campaign shouldn’t manufacture a persona or copy anothers playbook one-to-one; it must be a genuine and full expression of the candidates beliefs and history. Ownership guarantees coherence because the story arises from the candidate as a lived reality and demands consistency between message and action.
Without ownership, campaign narratives become empty spectacle – stories told about someone, not by them. In democratic politics, only those who craft their stories organically with conviction can hope to lead others into a shared and believable future.
In the last stretch, other primary candidates can capitalize on Sherrills weakness by anchoring their emotionally resonant narratives in concrete policy perceptions.
Former State Senate President Steve Sweeney often invokes his background as a union ironworker and raising his daughter with disabilities. But he can go further, framing his political journey as a commitment to family and community, and turn it into a bold economic equity agenda that includes expanded labor protections and a state disability benefits overhaul. Baraka can integrate his fathers legacy as a poet to reinforce his image as a social justice champion, and Gottheimer can apply his time at the Federal Communications Commission to push for affordable broadband and infrastructure.
Storytelling isnt fluff, but a powerful tool for political persuasion. In New Jersey, the growing desire for outsider energy and policy innovation demands that the next governor inject emotional authenticity into their policy goals and localize their story to build beyond their home base. If they want to beat Sherrill, challengers need to build a narrative that is wholly theirs, inspiring, and implementable.
Alex Rosado is a professional programs assistant at the Alexander Hamilton Society. Follow him on Twitter/X at @Alexprosado.
