Overwhelming Majority of Voters Support Early Intervention Policies to Improve 3rd Grade Literacy
Trenton, NJ — A new statewide poll commissioned by Education Reform Now Advocacy (ERNA) shows Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill holding a commanding 9-point lead (49% to 40%) over Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli in the race for New Jersey governor. The survey finds Sherrill leading across key groups, including a 9-point advantage among independents (48% to 39%), a 63-point lead with Black voters (70% to 7%), and a 15-point lead with Latino voters (50% to 35%).
Sherrill also maintains a +3 net positive favorability rating (45% favorable/42% unfavorable) while Ciattarelli is under water at 41% favorable and 49% unfavorable. His -8 negative rating matches President Donald Trump’s net negative rating (44% favorable/52% unfavorable).
“From her years as a prosecutor to her service in Congress, Mikie Sherrill has consistently delivered for New Jersey families with courage and conviction,” said Jorge Elorza, CEO of Education Reform Now Advocacy. With Election Day just weeks away, voters across the Garden State are making it clear they trust her steady, pragmatic leadership to move New Jersey forward.”
Elorza continued, “New Jersey voters from every demographic are telling us the status quo isn’t good enough. They want measurable progress in our K-12 education system, including early literacy interventions to help kids read at grade level, interdistrict enrollment to give parents more school choice options, and accountability measures to produce better outcomes. There’s a clear appetite for leadership that delivers tangible results, and a Sherrill administration would have both the mandate and the plan to deliver it.”
Sherrill has made improving third-grade literacy a cornerstone of her education agenda, and the polling shows voters are firmly behind that focus. Huge majorities, spanning diverse constituencies—82% supporting stronger accountability, nearly three-quarters calling for expanded tutoring and early-reading programs, and wide bipartisan backing for innovation in schools—agree that ensuring every child reads on grade level by third grade should be a top state priority.
On the education findings, Elorza added,“What’s striking is how strongly voters back bold action on accountability and on creating more opportunities for students. That tells us that these priorities aren’t just good policy, they’re winning issues. And simply put, they reflect a vision of progress that voters trust Governor Sherrill to make a reality.”
Read the full findings here: FINAL NJ STATEWIDE FINDINGS 10.24
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