Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill has announced her campaign to run for New Jersey governor.

Sherill is a former federal prosecutor and helicopter pilot for the United States Navy.

She represented the 11th Congressional District since 2018, which includes parts of Essex, Morris and Passaic counties.

Sherrill was a guest on News 12’s “Power and Politics” show. She told News 12’s Eric Landskroner that the COVID-19 pandemic inspired her to run for the office

"We weren't really able to do everything to address the crisis so we could most quickly move forward. And that's when I started to think, you know, having that executive power, to really be able to quickly address the need of people in New Jersey and actually get things done, would be something I'd really be interested in doing,” Sherrill said.

The congresswoman joins an already-crowded field of Democrats hoping to succeed Gov. Phil Murphy, including Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and fellow Rep. Josh Gottheimer.

Eight Republican candidates are also in the running, including Jack Ciattarelli, who narrowly lost to Murphy in 2021, former state Sen. Edward Durr and New Jersey 101.5 radio host Bill Spadea.

The New Jersey gubernatorial election will take place in November 2025.