Quick Guide to the 2025 New Jersey Governor Primary

Candidates & Election Info

 

June 3 – Early Voting •  June 10 – Primary •  Nov 4 – General •  Jan 20 – Swearing In

Feeling a little Lost in Jersey about the 2025 primary governor’s race? Here’s your quick guide to who’s who.

Mikie Sherrill

Mikie Sherrill

U.S. Representative (NJ-11), former Navy pilot, ex-federal prosecutor

Center-left leader focused on affordability, reproductive rights, and countering Trump-era policies. About

Jack Ciattarelli

Jack Ciattarelli

Former State Assemblyman, 2021 GOP nominee

Trump-endorsed candidate pledging tax cuts, ending sanctuary policies, and opposing congestion pricing. About

New Jersey Key
Primary Election Issues

AI Generated Request: Here’s your fact-based, nonpartisan timeline organized by gubernatorial term

Christie Term 1 (2010–2013), Christie Term 2 (2014–2017), Murphy Term 1 (2018–2021), and Murphy Term 2 (2022–2025) — with ✅ for progress and ⚠️ for ongoing or worsening challenges:

🏠 Property Taxes & Housing Costs

  • ⚠️ Christie Term 1: 2% cap slowed local increases, but taxes stayed among nation’s highest.
  • ⚠️ Christie Term 2: Growth slowed, but taxes still rose; affordability remained a top concern.
  • ⚠️ Murphy Term 1: Started housing aid and renter protections; no major tax relief.
  • ⚠️ Murphy Term 2: Taxes hit record high; affordability crisis deepened despite more renter support.

📚 School Funding

  • ⚠️ Christie Term 1: Major cuts to school aid sparked protests and legal challenges.
  • ⚠️ Christie Term 2: Some funding restored; focus shifted to charter schools; inequities persisted.
  • Murphy Term 1: State aid increased significantly; funding formula adjustments began.
  • Murphy Term 2: $12.1B in aid. Investment continued, but teacher shortages and equity remain concerns.

    💰 Pensions

    • ⚠️ Christie Term 1: Pension reforms enacted, but full payments skipped, increasing long-term liabilities.
    • ⚠️ Christie Term 2: Contributions increased slightly but still short of actuarial targets.
    • Murphy Term 1: Steady increase in payments toward full funding.
    • Murphy Term 2: Full pension payments made for the first time in decades.

    🚓 Crime & Public Safety

    • ⚠️ Christie Term 1: Budget cuts led to police layoffs; crime rose in several cities.
    • Christie Term 2: Violent crime declined; supported criminal justice reforms.
    • Murphy Term 1: Continued low crime rates; focused on community policing.
    • Murphy Term 2: NJ ranks among safest states, though concerns remain in public discourse.

      🏥 Healthcare & Senior Care

      • ⚠️ Christie Term 1: Pre-Affordable Care Act. Limited Medicaid coverage.
      • Christie Term 2: Expanded Medicaid under ACA; nationally recognized opioid crisis response.
      • Murphy Term 1: Strengthened Medicaid access and mental health funding.
      • ⚠️ Murphy Term 2: Mental health and elder care access remain strained in many counties.

      🧾 Taxes & Affordability

      • ⚠️ Christie Term 1: Focused on cutting pension/benefits rather than reducing overall tax burden.
      • ⚠️ Christie Term 2: Affordability remained a top complaint; no major tax reform achieved.
      • ⚠️ Murphy Term 1: SALT cap at federal level hit NJ hard; tax credits and rebates expanded slowly.
      • ⚠️ Murphy Term 2: Affordability still central issue; both parties propose SALT restoration and tax adjustments.

        🧑‍🏫 Curriculum, Identity & Parental Rights

        • ⚠️ Christie Term 1: Focus on test scores and teacher accountability.
        • ⚠️ Christie Term 2: Cultural topics surfaced but weren’t politicized statewide.
        • ⚠️ Murphy Term 1: New standards introduced around race, gender, and health; opposition grows.
        • ⚠️ Murphy Term 2: Becomes a key political battleground issue across districts.

        🚌 Transit & Infrastructure

        • ⚠️ Christie Term 1: Canceled ARC tunnel project; criticized for missed opportunity.
        • ⚠️ Christie Term 2: NJ Transit struggled with underfunding and reliability issues.
        • Murphy Term 1: Funding restored; long-term planning resumed.
        • Murphy Term 2: Gateway Tunnel revived; investments in green transit underway.

        Climate & Environment

        • ⚠️ Christie Term 1: NJ exited Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).
        • ⚠️ Christie Term 2: Limited leadership on environmental policy.
        • Murphy Term 1: NJ rejoined RGGI; began work on climate resilience rules.
        • Murphy Term 2: Climate rules expanded; focus on emissions, stormwater, and coastal risk.

          GDP & Economic Growth

          • ⚠️ Christie Term 1: Post-recession recovery slow; NJ lagged national growth.
          • Christie Term 2: Growth improved modestly; tech and pharma sectors strong.
          • Murphy Term 1: Diversified economy with job growth in healthcare, logistics, and green energy.
          • Murphy Term 2: Stronger growth continues, bolstered by offshore wind, film/media, and innovation hubs.

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            Footnote

            Lost in Jersey is an independent podcast and storytelling project. We are not journalists or reporters, and we do not endorse any candidates or political parties. This page is designed to provide general information about New Jersey’s 2025 elections, including details on key races, issues, and timelines. Our content is compiled from publicly available online sources and AI-assisted tools. While we strive for accuracy, we cannot guarantee the completeness or correctness of all information presented.

            We encourage readers to conduct their own research and consult official sources for the most up-to-date and comprehensive information.