It’s A Drone! It’s A Plane! It’s The New Jersey Governor’s Race!

The mysterious objects hovering over New Jersey in recent weeks have captivated the nation and spawned more than a couple conspiracy theories. Increased sightings of drones have also given a cherished opportunity to those who want to run the Garden State: free media time and a large platform just as the crowded 2025 governor’s race is heating up.

In a field of 10 major contenders, they are trying to stand out as the ultimate protector of New Jersey against a perceived drone invasion. They’re promising legislation, issuing multi-pronged plans and going on the ground to see for themselves what’s happening above them. And they are using their own airtime to offer the public a vision of their leadership in a time of uncertainty and public skepticism — even if that means taking action that seems scripted for Hollywood.

“As governor I would release emergency funds, get the State Police equipped with the same kind of drones, get them up there in the air. If it's got to be a Star Wars type of encounter, let it be,” Jack Ciattarelli, the 2021 Republican nominee for governor who is running again, said in a radio interview last week.

The White House has also weighed in on the mysterious flying objects.

President Joe Biden said last week that “there's nothing nefarious” about the drones and there’s “so far no sense of danger.” A joint statement from federal agencies said the sightings are a “combination of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones, and law enforcement drones, as well as manned fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and stars mistakenly reported as drones.” And within the past week, the Federal Aviation Authority put into place a temporary drone ban in a handful of communities in the state.

New Jersey Reps. Mikie Sherrill and Josh Gottheimer, both viewed as frontrunners in the Democratic primary field, have quickly become go-to guests on cable news for drone commentary, giving them the opportunity to highlight key parts of their political biography.

Gottheimer has called for his own legislation amid the drone frenzy dubbed the RADAR Act, which would provide an additional $25 million in federal grants for local law enforcement technology, although it is not required to be only for drones. The co-chair of the Problem Solvers Caucus has made centrism a key part of his political brand and he often touts his ability to work with Republicans, in this case Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.).

“This bipartisan legislation help[s] law enforcement capture what's in the sky so we can respond properly,” he said in a recent local television hit.

The moderate Democrat did back-to-back CNN and MSNBC television hits ahead of a congressional briefing on the drone sightings and has called for federal aviation officials to do a “public briefing” explaining the temporary drone moratorium. He also previously called for the FBI and DHS to “safely take down drones that shouldn’t be in our skies” and has a “Drone Tips Page” on his Congressional website.

Sherrill has outlined her own five-part “drone plan of action” for what she believed the government should do, noting in her drone-related announcements that she’s a former Navy helicopter pilot. Her veteran background has become a key part of her biography and her gubernatorial campaign logo even features a military helicopter. A recent CNN clip posted online refers to her in the video’s title as a “Former US Navy helicopter commander” rather than a member of Congress.

“We need better coordination and we need a better response — we’re using these like Clinton-era policies for this modern problem and it's not working,” Sherrill said on a drone-centric CNBC appearance.

Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop — who is also running as a Democrat for governor — posted a nearly 500 word statement on drones on social media in response to a POLITICO inquiry. The mayor — who has not been shy to call out his primary opponents — did not directly name Sherrill but criticized part of her proposal to have the North American Aerospace Defense Command lead the drone response.

“It is a NJ problem and we should keep control of the response with the feds supporting and sharing all info unless it is proven to be foreign actor,” Fulop said. “Otherwise it is just passing the buck.”

The drone-mania has prompted unfounded theories. Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.) earlier suggested the drones could be coming from an “Iranian drone mothership” — a claim shot down (unlike the drones) by the Pentagon. And the mayor of a North Jersey town suggested to a local television station that drones could be linked to missing radioactive materials — although the missing materials he was referring to is cancer screening equipment that are “very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury” according to federal officials.

Above all else, the drone situation has allowed gubernatorial candidates to put their neck out for more transparency with government organizations — especially as the voters they need to become governor raise concerns online.

“Conspiracies multiply in darkness. When we fail to provide clear and factual information, we allow speculation and fear to fill the void.” Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, a progressive Democrat running for governor, said in a statement to POLITICO. “[A] fellow mayor irresponsibly suggested an unfounded connection to radiative substances in relation to the ongoing drone incidents. This is both reckless and dangerous. In this era of mass misinformation, it is critical that we lead with transparency, accountability, and a commitment to the truth.”

The issue hasn’t only been highlighted by Democrats — it’s been a large area of focus for the state’s Republicans hoping to tap into a rightward shift in the Garden State. One Fox News opinion headline proclaimed that the “great drone scare will flip New Jersey red in 2025.”

GOP state Sen. Jon Bramnick made his way around the airwaves amidst the drone drama, getting roughly half a million views in one day on a News Nation tv appearance. Republicans like Bramnick have noted the bipartisan nature of drone concerns in New Jersey, despite its blue leaning electorate.

“We now have bipartisan calls for answers about the drones. Federal and State officials are done with the ‘non-answers’ from Washington,” Bramnick — who often preaches bipartisanship in government — said in a post on X last week, shortly before federal officials weighed on the origin of the drone sightings. “This is probably the … broadest bipartisan demand from elected officials in decades. I am convinced Washington can no longer be silent.”

The drones have even gotten the attention of President-elect Donald Trump, who said he canceled a stay at his Bedminster resort out of caution and claimed the government knows more than was put on. Conservative radio host Bill Spadea — who is running for governor as an ardent Trump supporter — released a statement on Trump’s drone comments and has frequently mentioned the drones on his morning radio show on NJ 101.5.

“Let's face it, with President Trump canceling his trip and the governor telling us that there's nothing to see, and the feds telling us that the sightings may be stars ... you are right to be concerned,” Spadea wrote in a 101.5 post.