Mikie Sherrill, the Democratic congresswoman who looks set to take over New Jersey’s governorship, is under fire for her recent stock‑trading activity.
The controversy could hurt her chance to win the November 4 election, where she faces Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli, a businessman with a strong state‑wide following.
Sherrill’s name has popped up in a list of lawmakers who have been criticized for “day‑trading” while in office. Critics say she used inside information from congressional briefings to buy and sell stocks at the right moments, especially during the early months of the COVID‑19 pandemic.
If proven true, such activity would be illegal, but so far the evidence does not prove that she broke the law.
Sherrill’s win‑study of her own orders shows she turned a modest amount of money—about $2.4 million in 2020—into larger sums.
That figure is far below the $39 million traded by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last year, but it is still sizable for a member of Congress in her first years.
In January 2020, a New Jersey Globe article said Sherrill and her husband switched to exchange‑traded funds (ETFs) before any congressional briefing on the virus.
Those same records show her beginning to sell shares in February, right after President Trump warned about a impending market crash.
Her campaign insists that the trades were ordinary market activity. A spokesperson said, “Mikie does not own or trade individual stocks, and she has gone ‘above and beyond’ by disclosing the exact values of her finances to the dollar.”
Opponents point out that Sherrill and her husband are worth as much as $14 million, a wealth that does not match most New Jersey voters.
The stock‑trading debate is almost the same as past scandals. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have faced questions about whether they used their positions to profit.
The U.S. government has rarely charged anyone for insider trading because proving that non‑public information was used is difficult. In most cases, the allegations never turn into criminal action.
Still, voters are starting to see the difference between “ordinary” investing and buying and selling shares on the basis of at‑hand data. Sherrill’s critics say that her willingness to trade stocks using potentially privileged information erodes trust in elected officials.
New Jersey’s voters are watching closely. A gubernatorial race in a blue state offers an opportunity for the Democratic Party to keep the seat.
If Sherrill’s trades come to be seen as unethical or shady, the narrative could shift dramatically in the last weeks before the vote.
Moreover, her former “day‑trader” image may clash with the campaign messaging that a governor should focus on running the state while she focused on short‑term purchases.
Campaign ads that show her in the state Capitol or talking to ordinary New Jerseyans might feel hollow when the public remembers her trading record.
Sherrill’s financial disclosures show a lifestyle that could be a laughing matter for some lawmakers. Her husband, a Wall Street banker earning roughly $3 million a year, and her own naval and legal background paint a picture of accomplishment—but they also raise questions about how she spent her time.
If the elections go dark on the stock‑trading allegations, voters may deem the issue small. If they flash the images of her buying and selling shares, she could lose the edge she needs to win.
In either case, Sherrill’s case serves as a reminder for lawmakers: staying out of the “day‑trading” arena could be the safest route to avoid unnecessary controversy and keep focus on serving the public.
Source: New York Post
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