Sherrill Picks Dr. Dale Caldwell for Lt. Gov. Running Mate
BLOOMFIELD — Mikie Sherrill today announced Dr. Dale Caldwell as her Lieutenant Governor running mate. Dr. Caldwell is the President of Centenary University, a pastor in the United Methodist Church, and a former Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs.

Mikie and Dale, who both come from a lifetime dedicated to service above self and have taken untraditional paths to leadership, will hit the campaign trail for the first time together as a ticket on Saturday. They are united in their commitment to making New Jersey more affordable while protecting our rights and freedoms from Trump’s attacks.

“I’m proud to select Dale Caldwell as my Lieutenant Governor running mate because we share a commitment to public service and challenging the status quo. Dale is the son of civil rights leaders who marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Selma — and he’s followed in his parents’ footsteps and he has always been a voice for the voiceless. Not only has Dale given back to the community for nearly 30 years, he brings experience in the private sector, higher education, nonprofits, and the Department of Community Affairs. As Jack Ciattarelli is committed to Trump, Dale and I are committed to New Jersey, and I can’t wait to hit the campaign trail with Dale this Saturday,” said Mikie Sherrill. 

“Mikie Sherrill and I represent a different kind of leadership that sees possibilities, not a blind commitment to doing things the way they’ve always been done. My life, much like Mikie’s, has been dedicated to service: to my church, my students, and my community. That’s why I’m honored and humbled to join Mikie’s ticket. The Sherrill administration will be focused on creating opportunity for the people of New Jersey — lowering costs so families can get ahead and stay ahead. While we will be a voice for the people, Jack Ciattarelli will be a voice for Trump and the MAGA movement that is costing New Jersey our wallets and our freedoms,” said Dale Caldwell. 

Dr. Dale Caldwell is the President of Centenary University. He formerly served as the executive director of the Rothman Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Fairleigh Dickinson University, President of the Educational Services Commission (ESCNJ), Deputy Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA), founding executive director of the Newark Alliance, and senior manager at Deloitte Consulting. He volunteered on the New Brunswick school board for 26 years, serving as president for six.

He is a pastor of the Covenant United Methodist Church in Plainfield, NJ, where he builds a congregation based on the values of inclusivity, community, and acceptance. He is guided by Proverbs 31:89, which directs us to "speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves."

Service to others was instilled in Dale from a young age. His mother was a teacher and his father, Rev. Gilbert Caldwell, was a leader in the Civil Rights Movement who knew and marched arm-in-arm with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dale is an avid tennis player and coach. He was the President and CEO of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) Eastern Section, founded the Black Tennis Hall of Fame, and is a member of the Eastern Tennis Hall of Fame.

Dale graduated from Princeton University in 1982, earned his Master’s in Business Administration from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1988, and a Doctorate in Education Administration from Seton Hall University in 2017. Dale currently lives in New Brunswick, NJ, and has one daughter, Ashley, who is studying public policy at Rutgers University.