Democrats Start Lining Up To Replace Sherrill If She Wins NJ Governor Election

MONTCLAIR, NJ — A Montclair resident is among the candidates who are lining up to run for U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill’s seat in congress if she is elected governor of New Jersey.

Sherrill, a Democrat from the 11th district, is locked in a tight gubernatorial race with former state assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, the Republican nominee. The general election will take place on Nov. 4.

While the outcome of the election is far from certain – many pundits are expecting a very close race – it hasn’t stopped potential candidates from lining up to take Sherrill’s seat in the House of Representatives. The list includes Cammie Croft, a former staffer in the presidential administration of Barack Obama.

Croft – another Montclair resident – worked on media communications with Obama’s 2008 campaign. She is also a former Amnesty International deputy executive director, and recently helped to lead an electric energy nonprofit.

She is also a supporter of Sherrill, and says that she will “build on the strong foundation” laid by the congresswoman if elected, with her platform including “continuing the fight to protect health care, standing up to corruption and delivering critical investments in infrastructure and education.”

Croft also said she plans to fight to lower the prices of groceries, energy and everyday essentials, while pushing for reforms that “hold Washington accountable to working people.” She said a “massive expansion of clean, affordable energy” will be one of the keys to cutting utility bills – a proposal similar to the plan Sherrill has offered.

• See Related: NJ's Rising Utility Prices Call For ‘State Of Emergency,’ Gov. Candidate Says

Croft has emphasized her working-class roots in her NJ-11 campaign, which can be found online here.

“Running for Congress was never part of my plan,” Croft said in a video announcing her campaign. “But I realized that one day my kids will ask me what I did, and when they ask, I need to be able to tell them that I did everything I possibly could.”

“These are challenging times, when things are getting harder —faster— for working families,” Croft said. “From groceries to child care to energy bills, costs are too damn high—and families are being squeezed while politicians and the ultra-rich look out for themselves.”

• See Related: 'Overpaid CEO' List Includes Companies With Big Footprints In NJ

OTHER NJ-11 CANDIDATES

In addition to Sherrill’s re-election campaign, three other Democratic candidates besides Croft have filed paperwork to run for the congresswoman’s seat, Politico reported last week. The list includes community activist Anna Lee Williams, Morris Township Deputy Mayor Jeff Grayzel, and Chatham Borough Council Member Justin Strickland.

New Jersey's 11th congressional district includes the following municipalities:

• Essex County – Belleville, Bloomfield, Cedar Grove, Fairfield, Glen Ridge, Livingston, Maplewood, Millburn, Montclair (part), North Caldwell, Nutley, Roseland, South Orange, West Caldwell
• Morris County – Boonton, Boonton Township, Butler, Chatham, Chatham Township, Denville, Dover, East Hanover, Florham Park, Hanover, Harding, Jefferson, Kinnelon, Lincoln Park, Madison, Mendham Twp (part), Montville, Morris Plains, Morris Township, Morristown Town, Mountain Lakes, Parsippany-Troy Hills, Pequannock, Randolph, Riverdale, Rockaway, Rockaway Township, Victory Gardens
• Passaic County – Little Falls, Totowa, Wayne (part), Woodland Park

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