The New York Times Opinion convened a panel of 11 local leaders to assess the candidates for the Nov. 4 election, including Bloustein School professor Julia Sass Rubin.
New Jersey voters face a critical choice on Nov. 4 when they choose between two very different candidates for governor: Mikie Sherrill, the Democrat, a fourth-term congresswoman and a former Navy helicopter pilot, and her Republican opponent, Jack Ciattarelli, a businessman and a former assemblyman making his third run for governor.
Looming over the race is the specter of President Trump, whose approval rating in New Jersey has eroded, and whether voters punish or reward Mr. Ciattarelli for his alignment with the administration. Along with Virginia, New Jersey’s governor’s race will be the first major barometer of voters’ reaction to the first nine months of Mr. Trump’s leadership in his second term.
For this version of The Choice, Times Opinion convened a panel of 11 voters with a wide range of experience and expertise — from a union leader to a restaurant owner to a social justice worker and others — to assess the candidates and their ability to lead the state. What emerged was a spirited exchange over the candidates’ qualifications that featured sharp disagreements over the role Mr. Trump’s influence should play. “I have a problem with anyone lying down and aligning themselves with Trump,” said one panelist. But our panelists, even those who supported her, said Ms. Sherrill had not fully articulated her vision, leaving them “confused” and wanting more specificity — and moxie. “Now is the time to fight,” said one.
Their conversation and their assessment of the candidates can hopefully provide insight and guidance as New Jersey voters head to the polls next month.