JERSEY CITY — November 4, 2025 — Democrat Mikie Sherrill claimed victory in New Jersey’s 2025 gubernatorial race Tuesday, defeating Republican Jack Ciattarelli by approximately 52–56% to 42–45% statewide, with 100% of precincts reporting. The win extends Democratic control of the governor’s office for a third term, despite Ciattarelli’s strong performance in suburban and South Jersey counties fueled by President Trump’s endorsement.
In Hudson County, Sherrill’s 78.1% haul—her strongest county performance—highlighted the dominance of the Brian Stack-led Democratic machine, which routed rivals aligned with North Bergen Mayor Nick Sacco in a feud that has defined local politics for years.
Sherrill’s Firewall in Hudson
Sherrill, a former Navy pilot and U.S. Rep. from the 11th District, built her margin on urban strongholds like Hudson, where she outpaced Ciattarelli 144,300 votes to 34,500. Pre-election polls showed her leading 51%–43%, with advantages on health care and ethics, while Ciattarelli edged her on taxes.
The race tested Trump’s 2024 gains in New Jersey, where he narrowed margins in once-blue areas. Ciattarelli carried four of five Trump-flipped counties but couldn’t overcome Democratic turnout in places like Hudson.
Hudson’s Intra-Democratic War:
Stack Prevails
The county’s results amplified a bitter rift between Union City Mayor and State Sen. Brian Stack and his longtime foe, North Bergen Mayor Nick Sacco. Stemming from 2022 redistricting that ended Sacco’s 30-year Senate tenure, the feud spilled into 2025 races for the Board of County Commissioners, Legislative District 33 (LD-33) Assembly seats, and the gubernatorial contest.
LD-33: Wainstein’s Breakthrough
The feud’s flashpoint was LD-33, covering Union City, North Bergen, and West New York. In the June Democratic primary, Stack-backed incumbent Gabriel Rodriguez and challenger Larry Wainstein defeated Sacco-aligned Tony Hector and Frank Alonso by a 2-1 margin. They cruised to general election wins Tuesday against Republicans Cynthia De Pice and Anthony Valdes, capturing over 65% combined in the safe Democratic district.
Wainstein, a North Bergen businessman and philanthropist, had challenged Sacco for mayor three times (2015, 2019, 2023), losing each by 30+ points—65%–35% in 2015, 68%–32% in 2019, and 71%–29% in 2023. His Assembly victory, powered by Stack’s get-out-the-vote efforts in Union City and West New York (where arithmetic favors Stack’s base), marks a symbolic incursion into Sacco’s stronghold.
Sacco’s proxies, tied to Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop’s “Democrats for Change” slate, framed the primary as a corruption referendum on Stack but failed to resonate.
Sacco’s GOP Bet Backfires
Sacco’s October 9 endorsement of Ciattarelli at his annual Mayor’s Ball—citing state funding cuts to North Bergen—drew immediate HCDO fire. The third Democratic mayor to back Ciattarelli (after Dover’s James Dodd and Garfield’s Everett Garnto Jr.), Sacco joined allies like former HCDO Chair Anthony Vainieri in crossing lines.
The HCDO’s response labeled Ciattarelli a “MAGA” candidate and Sacco a “DINO” (Democrat In Name Only), accusing him of a “DINO hunt.” HCDO Chair Craig Guy, a Stack ally, led the organization’s condemnation, freezing Sacco out of party channels.
The move isolated Sacco further:
Commissioner Hugo Cabrera endorsed Sherrill in September, breaking from Sacco’s faction.
Vainieri’s GOP switch yielded no commissioner traction; Democrats swept all nine seats.
In North Bergen, Sherrill won approximately 55%, a 30-point drop from Phil Murphy’s 85% in 2021.
Sacco’s Dimming Prospects
At 78, Sacco—mayor since 1991—faces a precarious path. His term ends in 2027, with speculation of retirement or a Wainstein rematch. The endorsement may preserve local aid but risks full GOP alignment, alienating his Democratic base in a sanctuary city like North Bergen.
Hudson’s Shifting Power
Stack’s machine now holds the county executive (Craig Guy), all commissioners, and LD-33 seats, positioning him as Hudson’s preeminent broker under Gov.-elect Sherrill. Sacco retains his mayoralty but lost influence, with Wainstein’s win eroding his North Bergen grip.
Turnout in Hudson hit 38.2% (156,712 ballots), driven by the gubernatorial stakes. Results await certification, but the verdict is clear: Stack’s era endures.— Election Night 2025, Hudson County, NJ