Branchville Councilman Jeff Lewis, a registered Democrat, has publicly endorsed Republican Jack Ciattarelli in New Jersey’s gubernatorial contest, sharply criticizing the Democratic nominee, Representative Mikie Sherrill, as “not cut out for the job.”
Lewis, who admits he has voted for Donald Trump despite his Democratic registration, joined a group of at least 13 Democrats supporting Ciattarelli. He told Fox News that Sherrill’s campaign leans heavily on her personal resume—her background as a helicopter pilot and mother of four—rather than detailed plans to address pressing problems like soaring electricity costs.
Expressing frustration with his party, Lewis said he does not feel energized by Sherrill’s messaging or proposals. He asserted that Ciattarelli has broad appeal across party lines and that voters are hungry for change.
Despite Lewis’s departure from party loyalty, polls generally show a tight contest: Sherrill maintains a lead of roughly 3.2 percentage points in the RealClearPolitics aggregate. Still, some surveys suggest Ciattarelli’s momentum may be underrepresented, with many voters privately stating support for him.
Other Democratic leaders have also crossed the aisle, including mayors in various municipalities. Ciattarelli has seized on the defections, tying them to voter dissatisfaction with New Jersey’s political status quo. Meanwhile, Sherrill’s campaign continues to receive high-profile support from Democratic figures such as Barack Obama and Pete Buttigieg.
The development marks one of the more dramatic instances of intra-party division in the run-up to the 2025 New Jersey governor’s race—a contest defined by debates over energy policy, taxes, and leadership style.
