MORRISTOWN – On the same day the Cook Political Report said Friday that U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-11) is “just a slight favorite to be re-elected,” retired Navy helicopter pilot/attorney Mikie Sherrill of Montclair made her way down the sidewalk filled with protesters brandishing signs irritated with the Republican congressman.

“I want him to apologize to Saily,” Sherrill told InsiderNJ, referring to the now infamous Frelinghuysen letter to the employer of a local bank executive.

“I’m here to support Saily,” added the only declared Democrat in the 2018 race against the longtime Republican incumbent. “She was just targeted by Congressman Frelinghuysen with a letter to her employer singling her out to the board of the bank as one of the ringleaders of New Jersey 11 for Change.”

Assemblyman John McKeon (D-27) is said to be eyeballing a run next year against Frelinghusyen.

But fellow Democrat Sherrill’s already in.

“I’m in,” she told InsiderNJ. “I’m all in.

“I’m not sure what I expect to hear from the congressman,” she added.”I hope to hear an apology. I think that the right to assembly and the right to freely speak about our government is our a fundamental right and responsibility.  It is our very basic right as part of our Constitution, and his targeting of Saily really violated that. Having been in the military and having been a federal prosecutor, I took an oath to represent the Constitution and I know Rep. Frelinghuysen has as well. So I hope to hear an apology.”

InsiderNJ also asked Sherrill about the appointment this week of former FBI Director Robert Mueller as a special prosecutor to investigate possible collusion between the Trump for President Campaign and Russia.

“As a former federal prosecutor, I was really glad to see that,” said the candidate. “There needed to be someone impartial to investigate this for the American people. I was very happy to see that.”

In the Navy for ten years before she retired, Sherrill flew the Sea King helicopter, which is the same model as Marine One.

For more on the Sea King and Mikie Sherrill, please go here.