Why N.J. governor candidates are fighting about Zohran Mamdani

The candidates for governor in New Jersey are talking about Zohran Mamdani, the democratic socialist and Democratic Party nominee for New York City mayor, and it’s not about cross-river collaborations over congestion pricing or NJ Transit projects.

Jack Ciattarelli, the Republican nominee for New Jersey governor, has been attacking U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee, for seemingly endorsing Mamdani, and other Republicans have followed suit.

But Sherrill says he’s lying.

On Thursday, two days after the New York City primary, Sherrill, a center-left Democrat, said on NBC that she has “a lot of differences with Mamdani” but that the turnout in his mayoral election showed that voters “want a new vision” and “innovative, thoughtful ideas of delivering for people.”

Sherrill, who defeated three progressive and two moderate challengers in the June 10 primary, has been distancing herself from Mamdani without denouncing him — a strategy that falls in line with her efforts to build a far-reaching coalition within the Democratic Party.

» READ MORE: How Mikie Sherrill won the New Jersey Democratic primary for governor

Mamdani officially clinched the primary win Tuesday, though he has been in the national spotlight for more than a week after he scored a decisive June 24 victory over former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, his main competitor in the race, whom many viewed as the front-runner.

When asked in the NBC interview whether she would support Mamdani in the general election, Sherrill said:

“If he’s the Democratic candidate, which it sounds like he is, I assume I will,” she said. “But I actually haven’t focused as much on the New York primary, because I’ve been so focused on my own primary.”

“If he’s going to be working to deliver efficient government and drive down costs, that’s something very interesting to me,” she added.

She similarly told Politico New Jersey “while I have plenty of disagreements with Mr. Mamdani, I share his voters’ goal of making life more affordable.”

Ciattarelli took to X and announced that Sherrill endorsed Mamdani, whom he called an “antisemite, and defund the police extremist,” accusations the democratic socialist has rejected. Mamdani has been a critic of Israel and has also denounced antisemitism, calling for more funding to combat hate crimes of all sorts.

Ciattarelli, a former Assembly member, called on Sherrill to “retract her endorsement and apologize to NJ law-enforcement and Jewish residents immediately.”

Sherrill accused Ciattarelli of lying about her and said he would continue to do so “because he’s the type of career politician who will say anything to get ahead.” She said she is focused on the Garden State while he talks about New York City. Her communications director, Sean Higgins, said Sherrill “has not made an endorsement and is clear on where she stands.”

While Sherrill never used the word endorse, Ciattarelli pointed to her remarks on TV in which she said “I assume I will” when asked about supporting Mamdani in the general election.

“Where’s the lie?” Ciattarelli asked.

Mamdani has been pressed in countless media appearances about his views on Israel, though his campaign was largely focused on affordability. That he has in common with Sherrill, who also focused on affordability in her primary run.

But Republican Governors Association spokesperson Courtney Alexander said it is “absurd” and “disqualifying” for Sherrill to suggest common ground with Mamdani.

“New York City’s failures have always become New Jersey’s problems, and Mikie Sherrill’s new embrace of socialist Zohran Mamdani is a terrifying risk New Jerseyans cannot afford,” Alexander said.

U.S. Rep. Tom Kean, a Republican from Union County, said on X it was “disappointing” that Mamdani has “earned the support” of Sherrill, and Republican State Sen. Holly Schepisi, of Bergen County, called on her to “immediately retract her endorsement.”

As part of her strategy to build a big tent within the Democratic Party, Sherrill has tried not to alienate anyone along its spectrum. Republicans in the state are energized by the prospect of flipping the governor’s office red, making it even more important for her to bridge support from both progressive and moderate coalitions.

While Sherrill won the five-person primary in a landslide, the combined progressive vote would have outperformed her. And progressive candidates went on the offense against Sherrill during the intraparty race.

» READ MORE: How Jack Ciattarelli could flip New Jersey red in November

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who placed second in the primary, ran ads attacking Sherrill with arguments similar to ones Ciattarelli is now using. And Sherrill could use support from Baraka’s coalition, which includes a slew of motivated progressives.

Mamdani and Baraka had a public display of allyship, with Mamdani showing up at the Delaney Hall immigration detention center after Baraka got arrested there in May, and Baraka endorsing Mamdani in the New York City mayoral race.

Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, another progressive candidate, was a loud critic of Sherrill during the primary but emphasized the importance of beating Ciattarelli when he lost the race. He recently defended Mamdani’s proposal for public grocery stores.

Carlos Cruz, a Republican operative who supports Ciattarelli, said that Sherrill’s answer about endorsing Mamdani was a “train wreck” and that she fumbled “a basic question.”

But Antoinette Miles, the director of the New Jersey Working Families Party, said she thinks it is “smart” that Sherrill indicated some level of support for him while recognizing their differences.

“Progressives and moderates both looked at the Zohran Mamdani campaign and can agree that there was a laser focus on affordability, and no matter where you are on the political spectrum, that is the way that we’re going to be able to build this bigger coalition that’s needed to win in November,” said Miles, who supported Baraka in the primary and celebrated Mamdani’s win last week.