The 2025 New Jersey gubernatorial campaigns have already begun.  On the Democratic side, the top tier has already been established: Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, and Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill.

Mikie Sherrill has established herself in Washington as a highly competent Congresswoman, with expertise in national security matters and comprehensive knowledge of environmental issues.  Her role in ensuring the inclusion of the Gateway Tunnel in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was critical.  Mikie’s communication skills are exemplary.

Mikie is 51, and Senator Bob Menendez is 69. Some day, Bob will leave the Senate of his own accord, and Mikie will be an ideal successor.

Democratic Congressman Josh Gottheimer also has aspirations for the Menendez US Senate seat.  New Jersey progressives, however, have antipathy towards Josh.  Mikie is acceptable to all sectors of the New Jersey Democratic Party and would defeat Josh comfortably, despite his vaunted fundraising advantage.

But as a gubernatorial candidate?  Mikie certainly could win, given her communication skills, her favorable media, her reported support from key Democratic personages, including Democratic State Chair LeRoy Jones and Essex County Executive Joe DiVincenzo, and her high name recognition.  In terms of relevant experience, however, both Ras Baraka and Steve Fulop would be far better prepared for the governorship.

There are three critical experience areas for New Jersey gubernatorial prior preparation: 1) Prior management of a governmental entity; 2) Prior political leadership of a political party in a governmental polity; and 3) Working experience with state issues.

Without governmental management experience, a new governor will be overwhelmed and lost in the swamp of Trenton.  Political leadership of one’s political party is the fundamental indicator of a governor’s strength.  A new governor without prior political experience will almost always lack the skills necessary to firmly assert control of his or her state party and supremacy over party fiefdom bosses.  Finally, a new governor without experience with state issues will have to engage in on-the-job training and be at a monumental disadvantage in dealing with the state legislature.

As mayors of their respective municipalities, Steve Fulop and Ras Baraka have a wealth of successful background and involvement in the experience areas of political leadership and governmental management.   Their management records have won them overall acclaim, and their political party leadership in their respective municipalities is highly respected and for all practical purposes, unquestioned.

By contrast, there is a veritable paucity of such political leadership and governmental management experience in the Sherrill dossier.  To use a William F. Buckley phrase, it is a serious lacuna in the Sherrill political narrative.

As for experience in dealing with New Jersey state matters, the range and extent of state issues with which Baraka and Fulop have each dealt as mayors is remarkably comprehensive.  The major function of state government in New Jersey is financial assistance to municipalities and school districts.  That is a matter of virtual daily focus for major city mayors like Baraka and Fulop.

By contrast, the experience of members of Congress like Sherrill is limited to those state issues that are a matter also of federal legislation.  Such matters do not include the basic function of state assistance to municipalities and school districts.

There have been in modern New Jersey history two individuals who served in Congress immediately prior to being elected Governor, Bill Cahill and Jim Florio, both from Camden County.  Both these governors, however, had previously served as members of the New Jersey Assembly.  Sherrill has held no such state or local position in which she could come close to having the voluminous amount of experiences Baraka and Fulop have had in working with New Jersey state issues.

It must also be noted that as I have previously written, the one woman governor New Jersey has had, Republican Christie Whitman came into office with extensive relevant government experience that Sherrill lacks, experience which served as excellent preparation for Whitman’s governorship.

Whitman’s service as Director of the Somerset County Board of Freeholders and as President of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities provided her with an excellent background in political leadership, governmental management, and New Jersey state issues.  The Sherrill record is totally lacking in this regard.

As an individual, Mikie Sherrill’s life has been typified by exquisite accomplishment in the fields of law, military service, and academia.  In the 2025 Democratic gubernatorial primary, however, the issue will not be personal competency and achievement, but instead, relevant governmental and political experience and accomplishment:  In this regard, the answer is clear: Advantage Baraka and Fulop.

Alan J. Steinberg served as regional administrator of Region 2 EPA during the administration of former President George W. Bush and as executive director of the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission.