Here (in no particular order) are some interesting questions to ponder with 2026 just about upon us.

How will the Sherrill Administration govern?

I know, that's a pretty obvious question for a new governor, but it may be more relevant now than before.

Mikie Sherrill does not have a background in New Jersey government and a lot of her campaign centered around criticizing Donald Trump. That was a great campaign strategy, given the fact she won by almost 500,000 votes. But the campaign is over and just how Gov. Sherrill will handle school funding, state housing mandates and New Jersey finances remains to be seen, Broadly speaking, she has pledged to freeze electric rates via an executive order on day one.

Who will lead Republicans?

The party will elect a new state chair in early January. The post is now open. The three leading candidates appear to be Rosemary Becchi, who ran against Sherrill in CD-11 back in 2020, Christine Hanlon, the Monmouth County Clerk, and Steve Lonegan, the one time mayor of Bogota and since then, an unsuccessful candidate for a number of state offices. Here is some of what the candidates are saying on their social media pages and in releases.

Becchi: New Jersey deserves a Republican Party that’s built to win - not just in election years, but every year

Hanlon: The 2025 election was a tough one for Republicans in New Jersey, but we must come together to fight on for our families and our future!

Lonegan: (He) enters the race with a clear mission: to rebuild a fractured party, restore authentic Republican values, and lead the GOP to decisive victories in upcoming elections.

Will CD-7 really be competitive?

It's become the norm for observers to write about this sprawling district covering at least parts of six counties in western Jersey as the only competitive congressional district in the state. That's true as far as it goes, but it is also true that CD-7 leans Republican and Thomas H. Kean Jr. has won it twice.

Kean is not exactly a communicator, avoiding unscripted interactions with constituents and the press, but that doesn't seem to hurt him with his Republican base. Will this year be any different? Dems are still enthused over their success in 2025, but considering that every election is different, how will things look in 10 months?  There is not yet a consensus Democratic candidate, but Rebecca Bennett seems to be making inroads of late with party leaders. She flew helicopters in the service. Sound familiar?

What happens in CD-11? 

A Democratic win in the April special election in Sherrill's old district is considered likely. Which is why 12 Dems are fighting it out in the Feb. 5 primary. Besides who wins that race, it will be interesting to see how many Republicans step forward to run in the regular, November election beginning with the June primary. There is only one Republican, Joe Hathaway, running in the special election, but you have to figure there will be more in the fall. Or will there?

How about CD-2?

One thing is clear - Democrats would love to beat Jeff Van Drew, who (as hard as it is to believe) was first elected in this south Jersey district in 2018 as a Democrat. I say "hard to believe," because Van Drew did not just switch parties, he became a prominent MAGA-booster. That's been fine up to now. But will it still be fine in 2026, considering the Dems' big win last November? Democrat Tim Alexander, who lost to Van Drew in 2022, is running again.

Did you know there is a U.S. Senate race in 2026?

Yep, Cory Booker, who certainly has become a national figure, is running for reelection. The race may be easy to forget, because as of now, there is no obvious Republican candidate. One name popping up is Alina Habba, late of the U.S. Attorney's office. Some Republican leaders seem to like her. OK. But really now, does any reasonable person think an individual so closely linked to Trump would be a viable candidate in New Jersey? The GOP has better options, right?

Are the school board wars over?

Or rather, have the sometimes bitter clashes over school curriculum and gay rights run their course?  Passions remain high on this issue - just look at the uproar in Colts Neck when Linda McMahon, the nation's education secretary, paid a visit. The point is that many conservatives made school curriculum a big issue in the 2023 legislative elections and again in the 2025 governor's race. All that was to no avail. Democrats won both those elections, picking up 11 seats in the Assembly.  That's the question. Do those results suggest that a majority of voters back Democrats on this issue, or maybe they don't really care if school kids are taught about gay rights? Either way, emotions on this issue likely will remain high, but is the debate still relevant?

How will things go in Parsippany?
Sure, it is only one town of many, many in New Jersey. But it is the largest in Morris County and one where Democrats just won the mayor's office and two council seats. That puts a lot of pressure on the new majority, three of whom are entering public office for the first time. A lot of interested parties will be watching how things go very closely, especially township and county Republicans.