PLAINFIELD - Women leaders from all over New Jersey - legislators, county officials and activists - took turns Tuesday night singing the praises of Mikie Sherrill.

This was Women's Equality Day, which commemorates women getting the right to vote on Aug. 26, 1920, so the spirited rally at the Shiloh Baptist Church was indeed appropriate. About 300 attended.

One of the introductory speakers - Shanique Taliaferro of the group, Black Women NJ and a Trenton native - made the most salient point.

An original backer of Ras Baraka, Taliaferro said she contacted Sherrill after she won the primary and they had a "sit down." Soon thereafter, Sherrill accepted an invite to visit Trenton.

And as Taliaferro put it, she walked the walk, visiting and speaking with residents. That's precisely what Taliaferro wanted to see.

Sherrill got less than 50 percent of the Democratic primary vote, so she needs support - and votes - from those who backed Baraka and Steve Fulop, the second and third place finishers.

When the candidate took the floor, she reiterated campaign themes about the need to beat Jack Ciattarelli, who she said "would unravel the promise of the American Dream here in New Jersey."

She spoke about the Republican's support for the "Big, Beautiful Bill," which cuts Medicaid and his opposition to women's reproductive rights.

"Here in New Jersey, the stakes cannot be higher," she said.

In the midst of all this, Sherrill was interrupted by protesters criticizing her stance on the Middle East. Three separate times, individuals came forward, at times screaming, that Sherrill, who is now a congresswoman, is too supportive of Israel.

The protesters also wanted Sherrill to denounce a pending state bill condemning anti-Semitism. Critics say the bill's definition of anti-Semitism violates freedom of speech.

Sherrill has seen such protests before at her events. She did say she wanted to address their concerns, adding, "We do want to bring people together."

Danielle L. Brown, the church pastor, took the mic and told the crowd to cease any further disturbances.

"We will not continue to be disrupted," Brown said, adding that it was time to "show respect."

Things calmed down and when Sherrill wrapped things up, she thanked the crowd and even the protesters for their interest.

Outside, some of Sherrill's critics milled around passing out literature to those who took it. Some did, some didn.t.

One man was waving a Palestinian flag. Asked if he plans any protests at Ciattarelli events, the man said no.

For one thing, unlike Sherrill, Ciattarelli holds no office at the moment.

Furthermore, the man said going to Ciattarelli events would be pointless because he thinks Sherrill is going to win.

Not exactly an endorsement, but encouraging for Team Mikie just the same.