By Jamie Lynn Connors
Rep. Mikie Sherrill’s 2018 midterm victory was no fluke.
On Tuesday, the Democrat handily won a second term representing an 11th District that previously belonged to Republicans for more than three decades.
“We’ve kept faith and the values that define us as a country,” Sherrill told supporters via Facebook.
Sherrill beat GOP lobbyist Rosemary Becchi by about 18 points, according to a vote count by NJ Spotlight.
That surpassed Sherrill’s margin two years ago, when she easily bested state Assemblyman Jay Webber for the seat vacated by 12-term incumbent Rodney Frelinghuysen.
The former Navy helicopter pilot and federal prosecutor quoted from Revolutionary pamphleteer Thomas Paine in her online victory speech, saying her constituents have neither been summer soldiers nor springtime patriots.
“We reminded the country that New Jersey is compassionate,” Sherrill said. “And these values–bravery, unity, compassion–they shouldn’t just be New Jersey values. These are American values. These are the standards we work to live up to, and that we want to pass on to our children.”
Becchi, a tax attorney from Short Hills who supported President Trump’s agenda, tried to link Sherrill to the Democratic party’s far left. The incumbent from Montclair had a huge fundraising advantage — more than $6 million to Becchi’s $1 million — during a contest waged in a pandemic.
“These next two years are going to require big ideas and bold leadership,” Sherrill said. “We’re gonna move this nation forward with ideas that will ensure the prosperity of our families over the next several decades.”
Sherrill serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee. She helped secure $7.9 million in federal CARE Act grants for the district, which includes most of Morris and portions of Essex, Passaic and Sussex counties.
High on her list of priorities is removing the cap on federal tax deductions for state- and local property taxes.
During the campaign she also said we must proceed cautiously with efforts to reopen the economy.
“We can’t get businesses open, we can’t get kids back to school, if we don’t handle the global health crisis,” she said.
She also advocated for improving the state’s infrastructure, and for “better healthcare, better environmental regulation and better gun safety legislation.”
“In her time in Congress, Mikie Sherrill has shown she has the right priorities for New Jerseyans: Reaching across the aisle, working with Democrats and Republicans to get things done, and putting our national security first,” Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairwoman Cheri Bustos said in a statement.
“Mikie will return to Congress to continue to amplify the voices of the people she serves.”
Sherrill won her first race with nearly nearly 57 percent of the votes.
“I remember my first meetings in 2018…and how confident we were in our ability to make change here in North Jersey,” said the 48-year-old mother of four. “We spoke to our neighbors and convinced them to join us in working together to build a better future for our communities.
“I’m grateful we live in a democracy where candidates are able to share their vision and run for office.”
Kevin Coughlin contributed to this report, which also contains information from MyVeronaNJ.com, used with permission.
