Mikie Sherrill’s House resignation will spark a crowded Democratic primary

As Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., prepares to resign her congressional seat, a crowded Democratic primary has emerged with nearly a dozen hopefuls ranging from moderate establishment to far-left candidates.

Sherrill, who represents New Jersey’s 11th District in the House of Representatives, was elected governor of the Garden State in the recent Democratic vote in blue states and cities across the country.

His resignation, scheduled for Thursday, will trigger a special election for the House seat. Eleven candidates have expressed interest in the race, including Cammie Croft, a former member of the Obama administration, Tom Malinowski, a former House representative, and Brendan Gill, endorsed by Governor Murphy, his former campaign manager.

Cammie Croft asked Governor Murphy in a statement just days after Sherrill won the governorship to set a date for a special election.

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Cammie Croft is a mother of three and former Obama administration staffer who called on Governor Murphy to set a date for the special election earlier this month. (Cammie for Congress)

“In these extraordinary times, New Jersey’s 11th District deserves representation in Washington – not weeks or months of uncertainty,” Croft said. “Just like the governor-elect in Congress, the people of this district need someone in Washington who will fight like hell to bring down the cost of groceries, energy and health care and curb the abusive and corrupt policies of the Trump administration.”

According to FEC DepositsCroft has $176,000 in cash as of the September 30 filing date. In those same filings, Morris Township Mayor and candidate Jeff Grayzel has more than $310,000 in cash.

“I’m 100% in the race,” Grayzel told New Jersey Globe. “My intention is to run for the seat if Mikie wins the election, as many believe. The timeline for a special election in early 2026 is already very short, and planning for this type of race takes time.”

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House candidates Jeff Grayzel and Mikie Sherrill pose for a photo at a rally in New Jersey. (Jeff Grayzel via Facebook)

Former House Representative Tom Malinowski has also thrown his proverbial hat into the ring and is particularly active on social media. Although he does not live in New Jersey-11, Malinowski has pledged to move to the district if he wins the special election, according to reports from Washington Examiner.

Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., endorsed Tom Malinowski via X in a video posted Nov. 17.

“I am happy to support Tom Malinowski for Congress! I have known Tom for over 12 years, far longer than anyone I know in Jersey politics, when we worked under President Obama,” the senator wrote. “Today’s politics needs courage. People capable of resisting political pressures and special interests. @Malinowski showed it in his actions. »

Malinowski, a former congressional representative from New Jersey’s Seventh District, lost his seat when the area was redistricted to include much of NJ-11.

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Rep. Tom Malinowski, D-N.J., participates in House Democrats rally on the steps of the U.S. Capitol to speak out against the Supreme Court’s leaked draft opinion indicating the court will overturn Roe v. Wade on May 13, 2022. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

The former representative all but sought Sherrill’s endorsement in a campaign video posted on X earlier this month announcing his candidacy.

“I’m running for Congress again to pick up where my friend Mikie Sherrill left off,” Malinowski said in the video.

Governor-elect Sherrill’s office had no comment to Fox News Digital on plans to support Malinowski or any other candidate.

Essex County Commissioner Brendan Gill has the support of more than 60 county Democrats, according to a New Jersey Globe article, and enters a crowded field as a well-established party operative.

“I’m running for Congress because our president, aided by the bootlickers of Congress and Wall Street, is wreaking havoc on our streets, emptying our economy, destroying our American values. I’m running to fight back against Donald Trump and his crooked cronies and to make sure everyone has a seat at the table,” Gill said in a campaign video.

Representative Mikie Sherrill, Democratic candidate for governor of New Jersey, at an election night event in East Brunswick, New Jersey, United States, Tuesday, November 4, 2025. (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

John Bartlett, the only other candidate with a significant war chest, according to FEC filings, had about $200,000 left from his 2018 House race, which was unsuccessful at the time. He is a commissioner in Passaic County.

The FEC also rates Democratic candidates Anna Lee Williams, Justin Strickland and Marc Chaaban. There is only one Republican listed in the race in FEC filings: Joe Hathaway, mayor of Randolph Township.

“Thank you, New Jersey,” Governor-elect Sherrill wrote in a Nov. 12 message. “Next week, I intend to tender my resignation to become your 57th governor.

“To my colleagues in the House: don’t become a rubber stamp for a program to take away food and health care from children. To the country: be strong. Don’t abandon ship.”

Sherrill announced her resignation would be effective November 20 at 11:59 p.m. ET, according to letters she released on Tuesday afternoon addressed to Governor Murphy and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson.

Sherrill won the district in 2024 by a healthy margin, receiving 56.34% of the vote, according to the State of New Jersey Board of Elections. THE Cook’s Political Report designated the New Jersey 11 as “Solid D”.

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The primary does not yet have a set date.

Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.