18 races to follow for the 2018 midterms

17. New Jersey’s 11th District

Candidates: Democratic challenger Mikie Sherrill vs. Republican challenger Jay Webber

This New Jersey race is set to be a nail-biter, and not just because Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen joined the growing ranks of incumbent Republicans who will not be seeking re-election this November. It’s true that, in the 2016 elections, this district went red in favor of then-candidate Donald Trump. Furthermore, it is also true that Frelinghuysen was a long-standing representative there, with over two decades served as a Republican representative.

But things could stand to change, and pretty dramatically at that. While this district voted for Trump, he secured its support by a measly single percentage point. That, along with increasing concern over White House drama, could be enough for a Democrat to win the seat. If that happens, New Jersey’s 11th District might be changing in significant ways. Such a move would also point to even bigger changes in the bloc of voters themselves.

Either way, commentators and analysts are likely to take this as a referendum on the current Republican dominance in politics. Are voters in favor of continued conservatism, or have the past two years of a Trump White House diminished voters’ enthusiasm for the trend?

That’s where Mikie Sherrill comes in. She’s a newcomer to political office, though she’s seen plenty of pressure as a former Navy helicopter pilot and federal prosecutor, not to mention being a mom of four kids. Sherrill has received endorsements from former Vice President and Senator Joe Biden, as well as EMILY’s List, which follows women running for U.S. office.

That doesn’t mean viewers and voters should discount Republican Jay Webber. He’s currently a lawyer and member of New Jersey’s assembly. Webber’s conservative platforms, like higher border security and lower taxes, could appeal to quite a few New Jersey voters.

Campaign website for Mikie Sherrill: https://mikiesherrill.com/
Campaign website for Jay Webber: https://www.webberforcongress.com/