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NJ Lt. Governor Dale Caldwell has resigned, Gov. Sherrill says
By
Mike Hayes
,
Charles Lane
and
Michael Sol Warren
Published Sep 25, 2026
Modified Sep 25, 2026
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Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images
By
Mike Hayes
,
Charles Lane
and
Michael Sol Warren
Published Sep 25, 2026
Modified Sep 25, 2026
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New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said Friday her embattled second-in-command — Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell — has resigned amid allegations that he made female members of his staff uncomfortable, and was the subject of a sexual harassment complaint that was substantiated by investigators.
“I gave the lieutenant governor until today to resign,” Sherrill said at a press conference Friday. “He submitted his resignation to me this afternoon, which I accepted.”
Caldwell denied the allegations but investigators did not find his denial credible, according to a 61-page report released Thursday night. That same night, Caldwell released a defiant statement questioning the validity and thoroughness of the investigation.
Aside from substantiating the complaint of sexual harassment, the investigators also determined that Caldwell had improperly accepted free tickets to events for guests and had tried to get a promotion for a state employee he was dating. The investigation concluded Caldwell committed workplace policy and ethics violations, but did not say he acted criminally.
Thomas Calcagni, a lawyer for Caldwell, said in a statement following the resignation that he is “exploring all legal remedies to ensure a true, balanced, and unbiased record” about his client’s actions.
“We continue to forcefully challenge the report," Calcagni said. "Dr. Caldwell’s resignation, submitted to put an end to the targeted campaign to discredit his character, does not in any way diminish our outrage concerning the investigative process and its specious findings.”
Sherrill said Caldwell’s resignation is a sign that she is serious about changing the culture inside state government, and ensuring that no person feels uncomfortable or unsafe at work.
“ There has been a culture in Trenton, probably since the birth of our nation, to sweep this under the rug. You can speak to numerous people who've worked in the State House for decades who felt this day would never come, that allegations would never be taken seriously, action would never be taken, and victims would just have to either quit their job or move on,” Sherrill said. “That is not the kind of government I'm running. When I say there's a culture change taking place, I mean it.”
Sherrill named Shirley Emehelu, the current acting state comptroller, to oversee November’s elections as the acting secretary of state, a role previously performed by Caldwell.
Several key Democratic lawmakers as well as members of the state’s Republican minority had called for Caldwell's resignation by Friday morning.
A statement issued by 11 Black New Jersey politicians signaled Caldwell’s resignation, saying that his tenure has become a distraction.
“By choosing to step down and ending this controversy, he has put the interests of the people of New Jersey and the work of our state ahead of himself,” read the statement, which was released shortly ahead of Sherrill’s announcement.
It was signed by Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, Assemblymember Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, Democratic state committee chair LeRoy Jones and eight other former officials and community leaders.
Under the state constitution, Sherrill has 45 days to appoint Caldwell’s replacement as lieutenant governor from the date of his resignation.
Caldwell departs fewer than nine months into the job. Sherrill tapped the former president of Centenary University to join her ticket for governor in July of last year. She and Caldwell were sworn into office in January this year after winning a convincing 14-point victory over Republican Jack Ciattarelli in the November 2025 election.
Caldwell proved himself an asset to the campaign and became a staple on the trail after he was selected. He brought education credentials, diversity, and, as the son of a reverend who marched alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a strong civil rights legacy.
Caldwell was key to helping Sherrill connect with Black voters during the election. Sherrill said she shared Caldwell’s commitment to helping the state’s Black communities, and pledged to continue that work. The group of Black leaders who responded publicly to Caldwell’s resignation emphasized the importance of moving forward.
“We have elections to protect, racial iniquities identified in our state’s Disparity Study that demand meaningful action, businesses and families that need greater economic opportunity, and communities across New Jersey that are struggling and counting on us to deliver on a Black agenda,” their statement said. “There is simply too much at stake for New Jersey to be distracted from that work.”
Sherrill's victory handed Democrats their third consecutive term in New Jersey’s highest political office for the first time in over 60 years. Sherrill also became only the second female governor in the state’s history.
One of Caldwell’s main responsibilities as lieutenant governor was to serve as the state’s acting governor when Sherrill was travelling. Caldwell reportedly served 18 days as acting governor while he was being investigated, according to Politico — which Republicans heavily criticized.
Until an acting lieutenant governor is named, state Senate President Nick Scutari would serve as acting governor if Sherrill leaves the state.
The scandal surrounding Caldwell comes as the administration deals with a separate investigation into how thousands of noncitizens in New Jersey were erroneously registered to vote during the previous Murphy administration. Prior to his resignation, Caldwell also served as secretary of state, an office that oversees the Division of Elections — the agency responsible for maintaining the state’s voter rolls — though the error occurred before he assumed the position.
Emehelu will now take the lead on responding to the voter registration scandal, as well as pressures from the Trump administration to influence how New Jersey runs the midterm elections.
“ She has the judgment to run these elections and the strength to stand up to Trump's attacks on voting,” Sherrill said of Emehelu. “I have full faith that Shirley and the team at the Department of State will make sure all eligible New Jerseyans can make their voices heard this November.”
Caldwell’s resignation ends speculation that legislators would have held impeachment proceedings for his removal. Scutari said in a statement the resignation was the right thing to do.
“Stepping down is in the best interests of our residents and the integrity of public office,” Scutari said.
Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin echoed that sentiment.
“We must ensure the work of governing is uninterrupted and that serving the people of New Jersey remains a top priority,” Coughlin said in a statement.
Republican state lawmakers welcomed Caldwell’s resignation, but said Sherrill’s administration has more work to do to restore public trust. Senate Republican Leader Anthony Bucco called on Sherrill to make public all records related to the investigation into Caldwell.
“When were these allegations first discovered, who in the administration knew and at what time, and how exactly were the allegations handled?” Bucco said in a statement. “This administration has been mired in chaos from the start and has lacked transparency in its conduct. But now that the Lieutenant Governor has agreed to resign, there is no reason to hide behind secrecy.”
John DiMaio, the Assembly minority leader, questioned Sherrill’s ability to properly vet the next lieutenant governor. He said whomever she picks for the role should appear before legislative committees, even though the role does not require legislative confirmation.
“After Caldwell, the governor cannot expect New Jerseyans to simply take her word that she got the vetting right this time,” DiMaio said in a statement.
Sherrill defended her administration’s ability to vet new hires.
“ We have hired hundreds and hundreds of people to office, and I think you can see from the work we've done just in eight months how incredibly well we have done in much of our hiring,” Sherrill said. “The vetting process was thorough.”
Caldwell, 66, was the first Black president of Centenary University in Hackettstown, New Jersey. Caldwell, a resident of New Brunswick, served on the school board in the Middlesex County town for 26 years. He also previously served as deputy commissioner of the state Department of Community Affairs under former Gov. Jim McGreevey.
This is a developing story and has been updated.
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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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Charles Lane
Charles is a Day-of reporter focused on breaking news and enterprise. He’s very friendly and can be reached at [email protected], or more securely on whatsapp/signal 631-295-6715
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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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