Most polls suggest that New Jersey Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mikie Sherrill holds a lead over his Republican rival Jack Ciattarelli.

However, the top candidate is now facing charges that his financial ties to a Chinese Communist Party-linked figure is "disqualifying."

Sherrill received large donations came from Chinese businessman

According to Fox News, Pin Ni gave $60,000 via two separate donations to the One Giant Leap super PAC, which is backing Sherrill's gubernatorial race.

What's more, Ni also directly provided $5,800 to the candidate's campaign, which is the maximum sized donation allowed by law.

Fox News pointed out how campaign donations can only be made by American citizens or permanent residents, and it is not clear that Ni is either.

The network also noted that Ni is the founder of Wanxiang America Corporation, which is the Chicago arm of the Chinese-based Wanxiang Group.

Ni's father-in-law was given an award for his lifelong "pursuit of communism"

The Wanxiang Group was founded by Lu Guanqiu, Ni's late father-in-law, and in 2021 he was given China's "National Outstanding Communist Party Member" award.

A press release highlighted Guanqiu's "pursuit of communism as a lifelong ideal and practice" while praising him for having "always listened to the [Chinese Communist] Party and followed the Party."

What's more, Chinese President Xi Jinping declared that Guanqiu was "in line with the Party Central Committee," adding, "He always actively does what our Party committees and governments at all levels advocate."

Michael Lucci is founder of the global security group State Armor, and he told the New York Post that Sherrill's connection with Ni is "disqualifying."

Similar allegations raised against Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate

"The donor, Pin Ni, has an extensive history of assisting the CCP’s political warfare and influence operations upon the U.S., and of generally aligning with and carrying out party commands," Lucci complained.

CCP-linked businessman donates $65,000 to Dem Mikie Sherrill’s bid for NJ governor https://t.co/yfNBt5z6qA pic.twitter.com/yw5tlsS2kT

— New York Post (@nypost) October 12, 2025

Fox News observed that Sherrill is not the only high-profile Democratic politician to get money from questionable sources, as Virginia gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger has done so as well.

The cable network reported in August that Spanberger accepted donations from a businessman with Chinese Communist Party connections.

That fact brought condemnation from a spokesperson for Republican candidate Winsome Earle-Sears, who said, "Taking $50,000 from someone with clear Chinese Communist Party ties tells us all we need to know. You can’t claim to stand up to foreign threats while pocketing money from someone celebrated by the CCP."