PRINCETON - Appropriately attired in blue this morning after Democrats toppled MAGA movement cult leader Donald Trump last night, Governor Mikie Sherrill alighted on the sidewalk in front of Small World and spiked the football.

"We had great results up and down the state," Sherrill told reporters.

Her party had two pickups in the House races here to elevate the delegation to 11-1 Dem.

U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-4) was the only surviving NJ Republican Congressman last night.

"We had great candidates," said Sherrill, starting with Rebecca Bennett in CD-7.

"A helicopter pilot," she added.

As if anyone didn't know.

Then there was Zack Mullock in CD-2.

Sherrill campaigned for both of them.

"No one outside of New Jersey thought we could win that race [CD-2]," said the Governor. "We all came together and worked hard."

She lauded Mullock as a mayor and small business owner who "understands what families are going thorough."

Sherrill also praised "fantastic candidates across the country" and what that will mean for New Jersey and Sherrill's government.

"Every step I take, Trump takes ten steps back," she said.

Now, that will change.

From incumbent Senator Jon Ossoff in Georgia to veterans around the country stepping up, "We are seeing such amazing people coming forward."

Getting back to New Jersey, "We didn't take anybody for granted [in terms of building a support network for Mullock]. We saw fantastic results across South Jersey, which was why we knew NJ-was in play. The New York Times had it listed [even in the closing days of the contest] as an easy win for Van Drew."

She knew better, she said.

A reporter in the gaggle referred Sherrill to Bennett's victory speech comment last night about the era of Trump being over.

He's still president.

Won't that just mean gridlock?

"First and foremost, Democrats will take the helm on opportunity, affordability and accountability," Sherrill said.

They will be able to take apart HR-1, she said, and make reining in costs a priority for regular people.

In addition, Congress can hold "hearings to point out what is going on right now. ...The Russian diesel situation is unacceptable."

She lingered on the chance Democrats have to make government function properly for people, by reversing Trump's corporate deregulation agenda.

"The lack of government accountability means the benefits of this economy are going to a very few people: Donald Trump, his cronies and big tech. Having government at the table will provide the pathway forward for working people. Without government at the table we have what we have now."

She also acknowledged, following unprecedented hidden money corporate spending, including $445 million pumped into 2026 MAGA elections by Elon Musk, the need for campaign finance reform, and not just a little.

We need a tremendous amount of campaign finance reform," the Governor said.

Of course, with one election over, another one immediately began.

Signaling challenging political days to come, especially with the full legislature up next near, activists brandishing "Stop data center" signs descended on the press conference and protested, seeking harder commitments from Sherrill to stop data center construction and impose stronger strictures.

"We're going to have to keep Trump propped up for the next two years," a Democrat grumbled to InsiderNJ.

Keep the guy talking, he added, to keep momentum going through 2028.