In case you missed it, hear from our expert panelists as they break down the final results of the New Jersey primary election in The Morning After.

Last week, Eagleton's Director, Dr. Elizabeth C. Matto, attended and spoke at EMERGE, a reimagination of the Frank E. Taplin Jr. Public Intellectual Award, that brought together leaders across generations, disciplines, and sectors, including educators, journalists, artists, and philanthropists. The event, hosted by the Institute for Citizens & Scholars, honored PBS News Senior Correspondent and former anchor and managing editor of the PBS News Hour, Judy Woodruff, for her commitment to civil discourse and public dialogue.

During the event, Dr. Matto discussed higher education and the role of civic engagement with President of Macalester College, Suzanne M. Rivera.

Congratulations to Judy for being recognized and honored for over 33 years of dedication to public communication and impactful broadcast journalism.

Women made virtually no gains in public office in New Jersey from 2024 to 2025, according to the latest New Jersey County Report Card from the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP), a unit of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University. The number of women mayors serving in the Garden State increased by just two, the number of women serving on municipal councils increased by just 18, and the number of women serving on county commissions was entirely unchanged. The top-ranked county for women’s representation in 2025 is once again Mercer County, while Cape May County remains at the bottom of CAWP rankings. 

Gretel Rodriguez Ramos - a 2025 Eagleton Graduate Fellow, social justice advocate, and community organizer - was elected as a class representative by her cohort for the recent program graduation ceremony at Wood Lawn. She is a recent graduate from Rutgers-Newark who completed her master's in public administration degree along with receiving her bachelor's degree in political science and legal studies magna cum laude from the same campus. Gretel received the Harold and Reba Martin Award, which allowed her to intern in the Office of the New Jersey Governor. At the graduation event, she left the class with words of inspiration and urgency, encouraging them to apply their skills to defend democracy in her speech. 

"But our time at Eagleton has taught us that democracy is not a spectator sport...Florence Peshine Eagleton believed in responsible leadership and the power of the people to participate, compromise, and respect everyone’s humanity. As graduates, we inherit this legacy. We are called to be ethical leaders, to promote civil discourse, and to ensure our democracy remains accessible to all. In an era of polarization and misinformation, our commitment to integrity, transparency, and inclusion is more vital than ever."

Tomorrow, don't miss the final installment in our three-part webinar series, "Our Media & Our Civic Life." In this segment, "Where Are We Going: AI, Biotechnology, LLMs and Privacy," we will explore the future of disinformation with Eagleton alumni Gina Marcello and Claude Taylor.

Open to Rutgers and Eagleton Alumni.

This event is sponsored by the Eagleton Alumni Committee, the School of Communication and Information in partnership with the Journalism and Media Studies Department and the Rutgers University Alumni Association.

Patch | NJ Democrats Rally Behind Mikie Sherrill After Primary Election

Virginia is also holding an election for governor this year, which features female Democratic and Republican candidates. If Sherrill wins in New Jersey – barring any surprise from a dark horse candidate – the number of women governors in the U.S. could reach 14 by January 2026, matching the record high set briefly in January 2025, according to the Center for American Women and Politics.

The Associated Press | Trump’s deployment of troops to LA protest divides US governors

The governors’ responses are guided partly by a series of political considerations, said Kristoffer Shields, director of the Eagleton Center on the American Governor at Rutgers University: How would criticizing Trump play with Democrats, Republicans and independent voters in their states? And for those with presidential ambitions, how does that message resonate nationally?

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