Red, White and booed.
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill was heckled and jeered by NJ Devils fans in her home state as the team honored their Olympians, including American hero Jack Hughes
Fans inside the Prudential Center broke out into a loud chorus of boos after the 54-year-old Democrat and her husband, Jason Hedberg, were announced to the ice before the Devils’ game against the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night.
Sherrill, who assumed office in the Garden State just over a month ago, was on hand for the ceremonial puck drop and to present Hughes with a New Jersey State flag.
The pregame ceremony honored the star forward for scoring Team USA’s gold medal-clinching, overtime goal against Canada in the Winter Olympics final on Sunday. It was the Americans’ first gold medal since 1980.
The first couple – wearing custom Devils jerseys – Hughes and Devils managing partner David Blitzer and his wife Allison Blitzer posed at center ice for a photo.
The governor’s office shared the pics of the photo-op with Sherrill congratulating Hughes, saying a “part of history” was in New Jersey.
“A piece of history was brought back to Jersey tonight,” the caption read. “Congratulations to the men and women of @usahockey on bringing home gold – and @njdevils’ own Jack Hughes for scoring the Golden Goal. Keep making Jersey proud.”
Social media users were quick to point out that Sherrill’s post didn’t feature any video which would have captured the deafening boos she received.
“Sounded like most everyone there was Booing you… Might want to figure out the ‘why’” one person wrote.
“Your managed to somehow get booed loudly during the most festive thing at the Rock ever,” another comment read.
“You got booed by the US Hockey Team fans? Probably the first Annapolis grad in history that has happened to,” a third reacted.
“You got boo’d by every single person in the stadium of the state you represent,” another wrote.
When Hughes was introduced during the ceremony, the packed arena broke out in chants of “U-S-A,” before the 24-year-old addressed the crowd in a tearful speech.
“I’m so proud and I’m so happy that the men’s and women’s USA hockey teams brought gold medals back to the United States of America,” Hughes said to the crowd. “You guys are making me emotional, but I’m so proud to represent the New Jersey Devils organization. And I’m so, so proud to represent the great state of New Jersey – so proud.
“From the bottom of my heart, all of my teammates, USA teammates, we just want to thank you guys for all the love and support. We feel it.”
Sherrill, who represented New Jersey’s 11th district in the US House of Representatives from 2019 to 2025, has been targeted by critics for her actions during her first month in office.
The newly sworn-in governor and the State of New Jersey were sued by the Department of Justice after she signed an executive order shielding Garden Staters from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids on nonpublic state property.
Federal government officials accused Sherrill, a former prosecutor, of “aiming to intentionally obstruct federal law enforcement” with her executive order No. 12, which she signed Feb. 11.
“Federal agents are risking their lives to keep New Jersey citizens safe, and yet New Jersey’s leaders are enacting policies designed to obstruct and endanger law enforcement,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement Tuesday.
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