New Jersey gov race gets personal at final debate: ‘First of all, shame on you’

Contentious exchanges characterized the second gubernatorial debate in New Jersey on Wednesday night, where Republican Jack Ciattarelli clashed with Democratic US Representative Mikie Sherrill. The debate featured personal criticisms, with Sherrill accusing Ciattarelli of contributing to the opioid epidemic, while he targeted her record from the Naval Academy.

Entering the crucial final debate, Sherrill faced pressure as her polling lead over Ciattarelli shrank from almost ten points to just 3.3 points, with some polls indicating a near tie.

Throughout the heated discussion, Sherrill aimed several barbs at Ciattarelli, eliciting passionate, at times off-topic responses from him.

One notable exchange occurred when Sherrill pivoted from discussing New Jersey’s unemployment to challenge Ciattarelli’s business practices.

“My opponent often boasts about his business acumen, but what many New Jerseyans might not realize is the questionable nature of how he earned his wealth, including promoting the false safety of opioids and distributing misinformation,” she asserted.

“Tens of thousands of lives were lost due to these drugs, and shockingly, he was also compensated to create an app to facilitate easier access to opioids for those struggling with addiction,” she added.

Sherrill’s comments referenced a controversy that had arisen during Ciattarelli’s gubernatorial campaign in 2021 regarding training materials produced by his company which allegedly perpetuated dangerously misleading narratives about opioids.

Critics pointed to a statement indicating that “the risk of opioid misuse is minimal among chronic pain patients without pre-existing substance use disorders.”

The materials produced by Ciattarelli’s firm, which earned $12.2 million, were part of a collaborative project with the University of Tennessee, financially supported by key pharmaceutical stakeholders.

Sherrill leveraged this connection to link Ciattarelli to the ongoing opioid crisis.

Ciattarelli reacted sharply, stating, “First of all, shame on you.”

“While the Biden administration allows an overwhelming influx of individuals crossing our borders daily, without assessing the effect on our communities regarding the fentanyl crisis, she has remained silent,” he retorted.

Earlier in the exchange, Ciattarelli exploited an opportunity to criticize one of Sherrill’s primary campaign pledges: her promise to declare a state of emergency to safeguard utility ratepayers from further hikes.

With rising energy costs and overall living expenses being critical issues in the election, Ciattarelli dismissed her proposal as unrealistic. “Even the governor from her own party has stated, ‘I don’t think that’s feasible,’” he pointed out, referencing the comments of outgoing Governor Phil Murphy.

“Among the 77 Democratic incumbents, 52 of whom are on the ballot this year, none have endorsed her plan to reduce electricity rates immediately,” he claimed.

To address the soaring energy bills—currently unprecedented in the state—Ciattarelli proposed withdrawing from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (REGI), which he condemned as a “disaster” that cost New Jersey between $300 million and $500 million annually.

Discussions of national politics also took center stage during the debate. Ciattarelli rated President Trump’s performance in his second term as an “A”, believing he’s “on point with all his actions,” while praising Trump for tightening border security, curbing inflation, and expanding the SALT deduction.

In stark contrast, Sherrill assigned Trump an “F” in her evaluation.

When the topic of the ongoing federal government shutdown arose, the candidates exchanged blame. Sherrill remarked, “With control of the presidency along with both houses of Congress under GOP rule, it is their responsibility to facilitate the reopening of the government for the workers and to continue working on lowering health care expenses.”

Ciattarelli countered by referencing Sherrill’s voting history from the previous administration. “When there were shutdowns under the Biden administration, she supported every resolution to keep the government running,” he noted.

“Now, with Trump at the helm, she has shifted her stance and opposed efforts to keep the government functioning. I sincerely hope this shutdown ends promptly,” he stated.

A particularly confrontational moment arose when Ciattarelli pressed Sherrill to make her Naval Academy disciplinary records public. This issue gained traction recently, drawing attention to her being banned from participating in her class’s graduation ceremony in 1994.

“Mikie touts herself as the most transparent gubernatorial candidate ever. Yet, she refuses to authorize the release of her disciplinary records, leaving New Jerseyans in the dark about the reasons behind her punishment,” he asserted.

“She needs to be honest. The people deserve to know why she faced punishment at the Naval Academy,” he continued.

In her defense, Sherrill flatly declined to release her records, alleging that the Trump administration had targeted her and that her records had been improperly accessed by Ciattarelli’s associates.

“I will not expose my classmates’ private records for him to exploit during a witch hunt. He must own up to this matter,” she replied, adding, “He must return any records he possesses.”