New jersey, mikie sherril is coming for your guns, and she's not hiding it

Mikie Sherrill signals push for assault weapons ban if elected NJ governor to confiscate “Weapons of War”

MORRISTOWN, NJ — U.S. Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill has made clear that if she runs for and wins the New Jersey governor’s seat, a statewide ban on semi-automatic rifles — including AR-15-style weapons — could be at the top of her legislative agenda.

“I will not rest until we fully ban assault weapons, require universal background checks for gun purchases, make secure storage accessible for all law-abiding gun owners, reform the Supreme Court, and realize a future where children and communities can live free from the deadly epidemic of gun violence.”

Sherrill, a Navy veteran and former federal prosecutor, made the comments in response to a federal court decision that struck down New Jersey’s long-standing ban on AR-15 rifles. In a sharply worded statement, she criticized recent Supreme Court rulings and reaffirmed her commitment to reinstating and expanding gun restrictions in the state.

“The assault weapons ban is an obvious place to start because it’s a solution that has already worked. Between 1994 and 2004, the U.S. banned the purchase of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines,” Sherrill said.

The congresswoman previously voiced explicit support for a federal ban on assault weapons and joined constituents at the Morristown March for Our Lives rally, where she pledged to work toward “responsible solutions” to reduce gun violence.

Sherrill co-sponsored the 2022 assault weapon ban in Congress. That ban passed in Congress, but was rejected by the U.S. Senate.

“I was trained with weapons of war and know that AR-15s don’t belong on the streets of New Jersey,” Sherrill said in her official statement. “This decision will make families and children less safe.”

The New Jersey AR-15 ban, in place since 1990, was struck down as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. The court’s decision cited recent Supreme Court rulings that redefined the legal framework for evaluating gun laws.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.