TRENTON — Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s plans to build a national profile for herself and her moderate Democratic agenda have been disrupted by an internal investigation into Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell, her second-in-command. Sherrill had begun using a political network that reported raising $6 million to support candidates in other states. In August, the group endorsed 12 congressional candidates, all military veterans, and Sherrill traveled to New England to campaign with three of them. But the governor has no immediate plans for additional out-of-state trips, according to a Democratic operative familiar with her schedule. The operative said the Caldwell controversy was not the only factor and that Sherrill had not canceled a previously scheduled event because of the investigation. The governor’s office declined to discuss her schedule. Spokesperson Sean Higgins said Sherrill’s decisions are guided by the interests of New Jersey residents. The investigation into Caldwell has been underway since at least late spring. Former state Attorney General Christopher Porrino is examining allegations about Caldwell’s conduct with women and possible ethics violations and is expected to submit a report to Sherrill. The public allegations remain limited. A report earlier this month said an anonymous letter may have prompted scrutiny of claims that Caldwell brought three women to political events without invitations and gave them his business cards in hopes of dating them. Other allegations may exist but have not been made public. Caldwell has denied pursuing romantic relationships while conducting official business. In a letter to a senior state ethics official in May, he wrote that he had never asked anyone out, flirted with or pursued anyone romantically in his capacity as lieutenant governor or secretary of state. His supporters have also organized a defense effort. Felicia Simmons, a former Asbury Park Board of Education member who said she organized one of the events mentioned in the allegations, questioned how the investigation was being handled and suggested it could involve political interference. She also said investigators had not contacted her. The controversy has direct implications for the state’s executive authority. New Jersey’s lieutenant governor becomes acting governor when the governor is out of state for an extended period, with the power to sign or veto legislation, make appointments and take other executive actions. Sherrill left New Jersey several times while the investigation was underway but before it became public, leaving Caldwell as acting governor. Caldwell also serves as secretary of state, overseeing the Division of Elections as mail voting begins for the midterm elections. Separately, a law firm hired by the administration is investigating a software error that added 6,600 noncitizens to New Jersey’s voter rolls years before Sherrill and Caldwell took office. Republicans in the state Legislature have called for hearings into the Caldwell matter. The investigation’s findings may not resolve the dispute if Caldwell continues to challenge the allegations and seeks to remain in office. Under the state Constitution, Sherrill cannot remove Caldwell because both were elected. Rutgers Law School professor Ronald Chen said removal would require the Assembly to impeach him and the Senate to convict him. The episode comes as Sherrill, a former Navy helicopter pilot and first-term Democrat, has been positioning herself as a national voice for a centrist Democratic approach. Her gubernatorial campaign emphasized her military background and promises to reduce utility bills and other household costs while contrasting her politics with the party’s democratic socialist wing. New Jersey governors have often pursued national ambitions, including former Gov. Chris Christie, who was once viewed as a potential presidential candidate. But the state’s history of political scandals and upheaval has repeatedly complicated those plans. “Every governor of New Jersey looks in the mirror and sees a president,” Democratic strategist Julie Roginsky said. “She needs to get this off her plate as quickly as possible.”