Rebecca Michelle "Mikie" Sherrill, born January 19, 1972, in Alexandria, Virginia, is an American politician and the U.S. Representative for New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District since January 2019. She is a member of the Democratic Party and is currently the governor-elect of New Jersey, poised to become the state's first female Democratic governor and the first female military veteran to serve as governor in the United States[1]. Sherrill graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1994, part of the first class of women eligible for combat roles. She served nearly a decade in the U.S. Navy as a helicopter pilot, flying missions across Europe and the Middle East, and also served as a Russian policy officer involved in nuclear treaty implementations before resigning as a lieutenant commander[1][3][4]. She earned a Master of Science in economic history from the London School of Economics in 2003 and a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center in 2007[1]. After her military service, Sherrill worked as an associate at Kirkland & Ellis and then as a federal prosecutor in New Jersey. As an assistant U.S. attorney, she focused on community trust-building, reentry programs for former prisoners, and prosecuting cases to remove illegal guns from the streets[1][3]. In Congress, Sherrill has aligned closely with President Joe Biden’s positions, voting with his stated policies over 92% of the time in the 118th Congress. She serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the U.S. and China. She has been involved in key legislative efforts, including voting to end the COVID-19 national emergency in early 2023[2]. Sherrill has also publicly called for President Biden to step aside as the 2024 Democratic nominee and criticized New York City’s congestion pricing plan as detrimental to New Jersey commuters[2]. Sherrill is a wife and mother of four, blending her roles as a public servant, veteran, lawyer, and family person in her ongoing political career[3][5].