Credit: (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)WASHINGTON — Mikie Sherrill said she will resign her seat in Congress on Thursday representing New Jersey so that she can become the state’s 57th governor in January.
“It has been an honor to serve the residents of the 11th Congressional District since 2019,” Sherrill wrote in her resignation letter, sent to Gov. Phil Murphy, the term-limited Democrat she will replace. “I’ve been proud to fight for our communities, getting shovels in the ground for the Gateway Tunnel project, slashing through red tape on critical flood mitigation projects, protecting Picatinny Arsenal’s mission, and funding community projects that support our students, infrastructure, and public safety.”
Sherrill, a Democrat and four-term congresswoman who served on the House Armed Services Committee, easily defeated Republican Jack Ciattarelli in the governor’s race earlier this month.
“Public service is a public trust,” she wrote in her letter. “ I look forward to continuing to serve the residents of the 11th District and all New Jerseyans as Governor next year.” Sherrill also gave notice of her resignation to Speaker Mike Johnson, the Republican who leads the U.S. House of Representatives, in a separate letter.
With Sherrill’s resignation effective Thursday, Murphy can declare a special election. The special primary election could be held at the end of January or early February and the special election, in late April or early May.
The winner will serve out the rest of Sherrill’s term, into January 2027. The choice for a full two-year term will be determined by the regular primary in June 2026 and then in the general election that November.
Sherrill’s resignation could mean she will miss key votes in a tightly-divided Congress where one vote can make the difference between a bill passing or not. After Sherrill steps down, Republicans will hold a 219-213 majority, a three-vote margin of error.
The method of filling an empty House seat brought Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-10th) to Congress in September 2024, when she was elected to complete the rest of late-Rep. Donald Payne Jr.’s term.
State Sens. Andrew Zwicker (D-Middlesex) and John McKeon (D-Essex) have sponsored legislation to require the governor to start the replacement process within 10 days of a vacancy, faster than current law.
The scramble to replace Sherrill is underway. Eleven Democrats and one Republican have either announced or have started plans for a campaign.
Rep. Herb Conaway (D-3rd) will take the seat Sherrill held on the House Armed Services Committee. Conaway, a military veteran, represents Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in Burlington County.
