Critical Context on ‘the Establishment’ Candidacy of Mikie Sherrill

Those members of the New Jersey political establishment devitalized by lost political battles now want to brand Mikie Sherrill simply the “establishment” candidate in the Democratic Primary for Governor.

But Sherrill is a significantly more complex phenomenon within a context of politics changed in the Trump era.

First of all, Sherill came into politics in New Jersey by forcing the retirement of a Republican incumbent and changing a longtime red congressional district blue. The constituency she built mostly included suburban voters angered by the excesses of Donald Trump’s first presidential term and truly irritated by the acquiescent silence of then-U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-11).

Don’t forget – don’t ever forget – the precedent of those times, which included the President of…