Sherrill sworn in as N.J. governor

Mikie Sherrill, the four-term congresswoman and former Navy helicopter pilot who cast her November election in New Jersey as a victory over President Trump’s vision for the country, was inaugurated Tuesday as the state’s 57th governor.

- BY MIKE CATALINI

DEMOCRAT Mikie Sherrill is just the second woman to lead the Garden State.

(SETH WENIG Associated Press)

Sherrill, 54, is just the second woman to lead the state of nearly 9.5 million people and is the first person to win her party a third consecutive term in the governor's office in more than six decades, succeeding two-term Democrat Phil Murphy.

She swept to victory over her Trump-endorsed GOP rival in part by pinning blame for high costs on the president's tariffs and promising that her first action once in office would be to order a freeze on skyrocketing utility rates.

Sherrill spoke about New Jersey’s role in the Revolutionary War and quoted from the Declaration of Independence’s grievances against the king, drawing a comparison to Trump.

“We see a president illegally usurping power,” she said. “He has unconstitutionally enacted a tariff regime to make billions for himself and his family, while everyone else sees costs go higher and higher. Here, we demand people in public service actually serve the public.”