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NJ Gov. Sherrill announces her new lieutenant governor pick
By
Mike Hayes
and
Michael Sol Warren
Published Nov 9, 2026 at 10:26 a.m. ET
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Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images
By
Mike Hayes
and
Michael Sol Warren
Published Nov 9, 2026 at 10:26 a.m. ET
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New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill has selected Shirley Emehelu, a former prosecutor currently serving as New Jersey’s acting secretary of state, as her new lieutenant governor, her office confirmed.
The appointment marks a historical milestone and follows big electoral gains for Democrats in last week’s midterm elections. For the first time in New Jersey, women now hold the two highest executive offices in state government. Democrats will also send a record number of women to Congress, including Rebecca Bennett, a first-time candidate who ousted a well-known New Jersey Republican in the House of Representatives.
Sherrill plans to announce Emehelu’s new position at 11 a.m. Monday. It will stream on YouTube. Her selection was first reported by NJ.com.
Emehelu’s appointment follows the September resignation of former Lieutenant Governor Dale Caldwell.
Sherrill had demanded Caldwell, her running mate in last year’s election, step down after an internal investigation determined he had sexually harassed female staff in his office and committed ethics violations.
Caldwell has challenged the investigation’s findings. He has not been charged with any crime.
The investigation into his behavior dovetailed with a voter registration scandal that rocked New Jersey ahead of this year’s mid-term elections.
State law requires the Lieutenant Governor to hold a cabinet office as well. Caldwell served as secretary of state, making him New Jersey’s top elections official.
Emehelu, who originally joined the Sherrill administration as the acting state comptroller, was tapped to become acting secretary of state on the day he resigned.
Caldwell, a Black pastor who had served as the president of Centenary University, boosted Sherrill’s standing with the Black community during her campaign. On the day he resigned, Sherrill commended Caldwell for his commitment to advancing policies aimed at improving the lives of Black New Jerseyans. Influential Black politicians and community leaders around the state publicly urged Sherrill to continue that commitment after Caldwell’s departure.
Democrats secured an 11-1 advantage in the state’s congressional delegation. The party flipped two Republican seats in New Jersey.
In North Jersey, Bennett defeated Rep. Tom Kean in the state’s 7th Congressional District. In South Jersey, Cape May Mayor Zack Mullock denied Rep. Jeff Van Drew a fifth term in Congress. Sherrill and other prominent Democrats in the state hit the campaign trail for both candidates.
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new jersey
Mike Hayes
Mike Hayes covers equity and access to opportunity in New Jersey. He joined WNYC and Gothamist in 2023. Before that, he worked as a freelance journalist writing about policing and criminal justice. He has written for ProPublica, CNN, HuffPost, BuzzFeed News and The Appeal. He is also the author of the book, “The Secret Files: Bill De Blasio, The NYPD, and the Broken Promises of Police Reform.” In 2019, he was a finalist for the Livingston Award for Young Journalists.
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Michael Sol Warren
Michael Sol Warren covers New Jersey for WNYC and Gothamist, and previously reported on issues around the Garden State for NJ Spotlight News and NJ Advance Media. He can be reached at [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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