Gov-elect Mikie Sherrill is getting closer to naming her attorney general, with former First Assistant Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and former Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna emerging as strong contenders for the state’s top law enforcement post, the New Jersey Globe has confirmed.
But Sherrill, who takes office on January 20, has not made a final decision, and other names have been under consideration from time to time during the transition process, including former Executive Assistant Attorney General Shirley Emehelu, Sherrill campaign attorney Raj Parikh, former State Comptroller Matt Boxer, and Hamilton Township Mayor Jeff Martin.
It’s still possible for new names to appear, but vetting is already underway.
State Sen. John McKeon (D-West Orange), who had actively sought the post, announced today that he had withdrawn his name from consideration. McKeon said he preferred to remain in the State Senate, but the New Jersey Globe learned that he made that decision after learning he would not be offered the job.
Parikh, who is close to Sherrill and advises her on several state government issues, opened a now-burgeoning law firm last year and was unable to extricate himself from those commitments easily; he would likely emerge as a strong contender again in four years if Sherrill wins a second term as governor.
Boxer is also no longer in the mix. Former Gov. Jon Corzine, an early Sherrill supporter, championed his candidacy for attorney general. He was an Assistant U.S. Attorney from 2001 to 2006, while Chris Christie was the federal prosecutor, and he prosecuted the Monmouth 11, a massive corruption-busting operation that included three mayors and four councilmen. He had worked for Corzine as director of the Authorities Unit in the Office of the Chief Counsel before Corzine nominated him as State Comptroller. He is now a partner at an influential law firm, Lowenstein.
Davenport is the deputy general counsel and chief litigation counsel at PSEG, and has worked there since 2022. She served as First Assistant Attorney General from 2018 to 2020, working for Gurbir Grewal; she also spent nearly seven years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, and almost three years as an attorney for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Khanna chairs the White Collar Defense and Investigations practice at Sills Cummis & Gross, one of the state’s most prestigious law firms. He served in the U.S. Attorney’s office from 2011 to 2019, where he prosecuted numerous high-profile cases, including the Bridgegate case. He rejoined the office in 2022 when Philip Sellinger named him First Assistant U.S. Attorney. He became Acting U.S. Attorney following Sellinger’s departure in December, and served until the appointment of John Giordano as the state’s interim federal prosecutor in March.
Emehelu was the Executive Assistant Attorney General from 2022 to 2024, working for Matt Platkin. She spent nearly nine years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and worked at a North Jersey law firm for about 2 ½ years. She had recently sought appointment as a U.S. Magistrate Judge, but was unsuccessful.
Both Khanna and Emehelu were federal prosecutors at the same time Sherrill served in that office.
Martin, a two-term mayor and former council president and Assembly staffer, is a U.S. Air Force veteran who served in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps.
Matt Platkin’s term as attorney general expires with Murphy at noon on January 20, 2026.
