OLD BRIDGE, NJ — A Democratic New Jersey town councilman has publicly warned that his party’s gubernatorial nominee, Rep. Mikie Sherrill, is “not cut out for the job.”
Branchville Councilman Jeff Lewis is one of at least 13 elected Garden State Democrats backing Republican Jack Ciattarelli in next week’s election.
“She hasn’t done anything to enthuse me,” Lewis told Fox News’ “America Reports” Wednesday. “She keeps running with her commercials [on] the fact she’s a helicopter pilot and a mom of four, and she thinks she’s going to be able to lower electrical bills, which I think she’s going to have a very hard time doing.”
Lewis added that he “absolutely” feels that Ciattarelli has enough support to secure the governor’s mansion in Trenton.
Ciattarelli overperformed polling expectations during his last gubernatorial run in 2021, coming within 3.2 percentage points of unseating Democratic incumbent Phil Murphy, who is barred from running this time around.
Lewis voted for President Trump last November and insists he’s still a Democrat despite his frustrations with the party.
“My mom was a Democrat. When it came time to actually register, you just automatically register as a Democrat,” he explained. “But it doesn’t necessarily mean that through the years I always vote[d] to be with the Democratic Party.”
In recent months, Republicans have netted more registered voters in New Jersey than Democrats and the Garden State has seemingly grown more competitive.
“People are kind of tired of the same old,” Lewis said. “Shoving down things, saying this is the way it must be.”
