Mikie Sherrill and Shirley Emehelu met more than a decade ago as two working moms with kids at the same Montclair elementary school. They were also colleagues in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark.
On Monday, Sherrill named her longtime friend New Jersey’s next Lt. Governor.
“I’ve known Shirley for more than a decade as a fellow working mom at Watchung Elementary School in Montclair and a colleague at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark,” Sherrill said.
Emehelu spent nine years as an assistant U.S. attorney, prosecuting complex financial fraud and public corruption cases. In 2022, she became Executive Assistant Attorney General, the third-ranking official in the Attorney General’s Office. She joined the Sherrill administration as Acting State Comptroller.
Monday’s announcement caps a whirlwind fall.
In September, Sherrill named her Acting Secretary of State after Dale Caldwell resigned as Lt. Governor. Caldwell had held both posts. Emehelu will keep the Secretary of State role, and her appointment does not require legislative confirmation.
Sherrill credited Emehelu with handling it all, especially the election, when nearly 3 million New Jerseyans voted without issue.
The appointment also makes history. For the first time, New Jersey will be led by two women. Emehelu, a Nigerian American, is the first immigrant to serve as Lt. Governor, and she is the fifth person to hold the office.
Here are 9 things Emehelu said at the announcement ceremony:
9. She didn’t see this coming
Emehelu said she never expected to be here when Sherrill first called.
“When I took that call to serve as your comptroller last year, I never could have imagined that I’d be standing here a year later,” she said.
8. Her career has had a common thread
Emehelu said every job she’s held has come down to defending people who count on government to do right by them.
“At the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Attorney General’s Office, that meant standing up for those victimized by financial fraud and scams. In the office of the state comptroller, it meant doing right by the taxpayers who expect us to put their money to good use,” she said. “And at the Department of State, it means protecting our most fundamental right as American citizens: the right to vote from anyone who would try to suppress it.”
7. The state’s strength is its people
“What makes this state extraordinary is the ordinary people working every day to help their neighbors and uplift their communities,” she said.
6. She credits the career staff who ran the election
Emehelu pointed to the Executive Director of the state’s Division of Elections, who has administered elections for almost 40 years.
“Her work has impacted millions of New Jerseyans,” she said. “That’s the kind of story that makes me so proud to serve the state.”
5. Her agenda: Affordability, opportunity and kids
“As Lt. Governor, I look forward to working alongside Gov. Sherrill and these dedicated public servants to make life more affordable, expand opportunity for all our communities, especially in helping the governor meet the goals of the Black Agenda, and help all our kids, including mine, build a bright future here,” she said.
4. Government needs a new culture
“Solving those challenges won’t just require new policy; it’ll also require a new culture in government,” she said. “Good government is about prioritizing the people we serve. It’s about honesty, integrity, and transparency. It’s about doing everything you can to help the public good.”
3. She knows what this moment means
“As a Black woman and a Nigerian American, I’m proud of what this appointment represents for our state, and especially for the communities that share my heritage,” she said. “This is a milestone we can celebrate together.”
She hopes it reaches beyond the State House.
“Through our work, I hope we can inspire the next generation to find their own ways to serve and make a little history of their own too,” she said.
2. She’s ready for both jobs
“I’m ready to do my part, both as Lt. Governor and Secretary of State, to help carry that work forward, and what a profound honor it is to make history with Gov. Sherrill while doing it,” she said.
1. Her promise
At her inauguration, Sherrill challenged her cabinet to lead with competence, a strong moral compass, compassion and commitment. Emehelu said she will.
“I promise the people of New Jersey to do exactly that every single day: to fix systems that are broken, to show up for those going through tough times, and to work, however and wherever I can, to make our state even better,” she said.
