Gov gets kudos from Trump admin

Good morning!

Gov. Mikie Sherrill earned something rare from the Trump administration yesterday: praise.

Markwayne Mullin, the Homeland Security secretary, thanked Sherrill for her administration agreeing to share information with the feds about the noncitizens the state registered to vote via the Motor Vehicle Commission (the Sherrill admin contends a software error led to the registrations).

Joey Fox at Politico New Jersey got his hands on a letter from an attorney representing Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell, also our secretary of state, that said the state would share an initial batch of documents by Aug. 24. But it’s far from clear whether that will satisfy the Trump administration; the letter notes that there are “confidentiality concerns” here.

Sherrill has previously said she would not hand over information on the noncitizens who ended up casting ballots because she said the Trump administration would “weaponize” that data.  

Health: New Jersey health officials warned parents on Tuesday to ignore an order from President Trump that seeks to limit childhood vaccines. Dr. Raynard E. Washington, the state’s health commissioner, said Trump’s order ignores decades of science. “Families deserve clear, science-based guidance, not confusion. The evidence behind childhood vaccines is clear, it has not changed, and New Jersey will continue to make sure every family can access the vaccines that keep their children safe,” he said.

NJ-12: Adam Hamawy, the Democrat likely to win Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman’s House seat in November, embarked on a “listening tour” in the 12th District’s four counties — but would not let the press report on Tuesday night’s event in South Brunswick, per Fred Snowflack at Insider NJ. Snowflack said a campaign worker told him they wanted the people who were invited to be able to express their thoughts to Hamawy without the prying eyes of the press, an unlikely story.

Crime: New data show violent crime in the U.S. fell by ~9% in 2025, marking the largest year-to-year decline in the national violent crime rate since the FBI began estimating crime in 1936, per Amanda Watford. The murder and nonnegligent manslaughter rate fell 18%.

Governor: A new Morning Consult poll has Sherrill’s approval rating at 55%, with 30% disapproving.  That doesn’t get her in the top 10 of the nation’s most popular governors but it’s close (No. 10 on the Morning Consult poll is Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healy, with 59% approval). The poll also has positive ratings for our two senators, Cory Booker (53% approval) and Andy Kim (49%), both Democrats, while President Trump’s approval is mired at 38%.