Gov. Mikie Sherrill said she’s calling in support for Zack Mullock, the Democrat challenging South Jersey’s Jeff Van Drew
Sherrill appeared with the Cape May mayor on the campaign trail for the first time on Saturday.
Gov. Mikie Sherrill rallied with Democratic Cape May Mayor Zack Mullock on Saturday in their first appearance together for his campaign against Republican U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, just days before the election.
“I gotta tell you guys, this is a tough race,” Sherrill said Saturday in front of a crowd of roughly 100 people gathered in the backyard of Cape May County NAACP president Quanette Vasser-McNea’s Whitesboro home. “It’s not easy flipping a red seat. But if ever there’s a year to do it, this is the year.”
The Democratic governor emphasized Mullock’s family’s connections to the region and Van Drew’s support for President Donald Trump.
“He just wants to make life work better,” she said of Mullock, standing on a hill surrounded by sun-soaked fall foliage. “He comes from a family that you know.”
“And you know what? He’s not going to take a loyalty oath to the president, no matter who that person is,” she added.
Van Drew was elected to Congress as a Democrat in 2018 after years in the state legislature and local office. He became a Republican in 2019 and vowed his “undying support” to Trump. In 2020, Democrat Amy Kennedy came within 6 percentage points of him, but he won by double digits in 2022 and 2024. The sprawling 2nd Congressional District spans from Gloucester County to the Jersey Shore.
The race largely flew under the radar this year as national Democrats focused on more competitive districts. But with increasing anticipation of a blue wave, the party began taking the race more seriously in recent weeks, attracting more spending for Mullock. Early voting numbers have also shown enthusiasm among Democrats in the region.
National political analysts have shifted their ratings for the district from “safe Republican” to “likely Republican” in recent days, favoring a Van Drew win, but less confidently than before.
Saturday was the first time Sherrill appeared at an event to campaign with Mullock, and it came three days before the election.
At the get-out-the-vote event, Mullock told a crowd of supporters that the governor’s team had reached out to him about a week ago asking where he wanted to do an event together in Cape May County. He said he wanted to meet in Whitesboro, an unincorporated community with a rich African American history, “because this is a town that has been skipped over far too long.”
Mullock criticized Trump for “selling bitcoins and Bibles” while the middle class struggles.
“When we get elected and we get into office, there’s a few things that are going to happen right away. We’re going to restore the cuts to Medicare and Medicaid,” he said, Sherrill clapping behind him with a big smile.
“We’re going to vote to end the war in Iran. We’re going to vote to end the tariffs. But then we’ve got to roll up our sleeves and really get to work,” he added. He said Congress also needs to address the cost-of-living crisis and make homeownership more attainable.
Aside from being the mayor of Cape May, Mullock, a contractor, worked with his family to create the Harriet Tubman Museum and the Cape May Point Arts and Science Center. His family members also own the Chalfonte Hotel and the Cape May National Golf Club, where he works as vice president.
Eric Morey, a Democrat running for commissioner in Cape May County, said in an interview at the event that Mullock is well-known across the county, which “carries a lot, especially in a conservative area like Cape May County.”
“He’s shown that he’s someone that cares about South Jersey in general,” Morey said. “People connect with that.”
Despite her lack of presence on the campaign trail, Sherrill said in an interview after the event that the race has been on her radar and that she is “feeling really good about it.” She pointed out how Democratic Sens. Andy Kim and Cory Booker have campaigned with Mullock and said she has been calling for support.
“I was just on the phone with [House Democratic leader] Hakeem Jeffries last week saying like, ‘Guys, no time like the present here,’ and I think he heard me,” Sherrill said. “He said, ‘Yeah, I’m excited about that race.’”
As for why Van Drew has maintained his seat for so long, Sherrill said: “That’s always been a little bit of a puzzle.”
“I think people maybe don’t realize how he has just given up, sort of, focusing on the people he serves, and just has done whatever, you know, Trump tells him to,” she said.
“I think people see that that pathway is not working for them; it’s driving up their costs, and they want somebody like Zack Mullock in Congress who is going to both hold Donald Trump accountable and always focus on serving them,” she added.
The high cost of living and dissatisfaction with Trump have presented challenges to Republican incumbents.
Van Drew, of Dennis Township, acknowledged in a phone interview Saturday that it is a hard year for Republicans given the national landscape, but he still feels good about his seat.
“I’m not sure whether we keep the [House] majority or not,” he said. “I realistically understand what’s going on.”
But he said that his district knows him well and that newer elected officials who had closer races than his in 2024 are more at risk.
“I’ve always had a real connection … and a relationship with my constituents, and I think that always keeps me in good stead,” he said. “So I’ve always relied on it before. I rely on it now. I work super hard all the time, and I think that even in a tougher year like this, we’ll be fine.”
His final pitch to voters is twofold. One is that he has delivered a slew of projects for South Jersey, and the other is more philosophical, he said.
“I do believe in American exceptionalism,” he said. “I do believe it’s the greatest nation that ever existed on the face of the earth.”
