5 Takeaways From NJ Governor Debate: ‘Shame On You,’ Candidates Rage At Each Other

Mikie Sherrill and Jack Ciattarelli squared off for their final gubernatorial debate on Wednesday evening in New Jersey.

With less than a month remaining until Election Day, the Democratic and Republican candidates have been stepping on the gas pedal as they speed towards Nov. 4. They didn’t let up at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center, lobbing accusations at each other in a fiery exchange and clashing over issues such as taxes, energy bills, housing and transportation.

Watch video footage of the debate here.

Here are five things to know about Wednesday’s matchup.

TAXES, ENERGY AND AFFORDABILITY

Voters have cited the economy, taxes and cost of living as the “most important” issues they’re concerned about this election, polls say.

On Wednesday, Sherrill repeated her pledge to immediately declare a “state of emergency” in New Jersey over energy prices, while improving solar, gas and nuclear power.

The congresswoman also said she will crack down on pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) in the health care sector, and take on “colluding” landlords who jack up rents for tenants.

Sherrill accused Ciattarelli of voting to raise taxes “at every single level of government in which he served.”

“I am laser focused on driving down your costs – making New Jersey more affordable,” she said in her opening statement.

Meanwhile, Ciattarelli said he would pull New Jersey out of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative as part of his plan to bring down utility costs, which includes beefing up natural gas and nuclear production. He also said he will fight offshore wind farms.

The former state assemblyman also called for a new school funding formula to help combat New Jersey’s high property taxes.

“We need an honest, qualified, hands-on CEO governor,” Ciattarelli said in his opening statement. “We have an affordability crisis because of property taxes and electricity bills,” he added.

Ciattarelli denied a claim from Sherrill’s campaign that he supports raising the state’s sales tax to 10 percent.

“It’s not true,” he said. “We’re not raising any taxes in New Jersey.”

• See Related: Sherrill, Ciattarelli Offer Plans To Combat Rising Utility Costs

‘SHAME ON YOU’

Both candidates lashed out at each other with accusations during a heated exchange about midway though the debate.

Ciattarelli brought up a cheating scandal at the prestigious U.S. Naval Academy which took place in the early 1990s. Two dozen midshipmen were expelled after obtaining answers to an electrical engineering exam and sharing them with classmates.

Sherrill – a graduate of the academy – was not accused of cheating. However, the congresswoman said that she didn’t get to walk with her fellow classmates during the Naval Academy commencement because she “didn’t turn in some of my classmates.”

The Ciattarelli campaign has continued to attempt to link Sherrill to the cheating scandal, however – while demanding more information from the congresswoman.

The Sherrill campaign has hit back, criticizing the improper release of her personal military records via a Freedom of Information Act request made by a Ciattarelli ally. The Ciattarelli campaign has claimed the improper disclosure was the National Archives’ fault.

Meanwhile, Sherrill accused Ciattarelli of misleading people about the dangers of opioid drug abuse when he served as owner of a publishing firm, which he sold in 2017.

“I think you’re trying to divert from the fact that you killed tens of thousands of people by printing your misinformation, your propaganda, and then getting paid to develop an app so that people could more easily get the opioids once they were addicted,” Sherrill said.

The accusation got an indignant reply from Ciattarelli, who called it a “lie” in remarks to reporters after the debate.

“Shame on you,” Ciattarelli said.

“Shame on you, sir,” Sherrill replied.

TUNNEL VISION

The Gateway Tunnel also made an appearance in the debate.

Last week, the Trump administration announced that it is freezing billions of dollars for a long-awaited, $16 billion train tunnel between New Jersey and New York City.

Sherrill has blasted the White House for “attacking” the Gateway Tunnel, which she has advocated for in the past, and has accused Ciattarelli of being too “scared of [President Donald] Trump” to fight for Gateway.

Ciattarelli has maintained that he is “independent” of White House influence, although he has scored an endorsement from Trump. He has insisted that the ongoing federal government shutdown hasn’t stopped shovels from hitting the ground, and has repeatedly said the project will be funded and eventually finished.

• See Related: NJ Gov Candidates Trade Shots Over Gateway Tunnel

PUMPING YOUR OWN GAS

The candidates found some common ground over a quirky aspect of life in the Garden State: pumping your own gas.

New Jersey is the only state where it is illegal for drivers to pump their own gas. While some lawmakers have suggested repealing the law, it isn’t something that appeals to Sherrill or Ciattarelli, they said.

“I’ve come into New Jersey on fumes from Delaware, especially when my kids were little and in the rain,” Sherrill said. “So I think a lot of people really love our state laws as they are.”

“One of our special, special differences here in New Jersey, we don’t have to pump our own gas,” Ciattarelli said. “We’ll continue to have full service.”

ELECTION INFO

The general election will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Early in-person voting will take place from Oct. 25 to Nov. 2.

The voter registration deadline for the general election is Oct. 14. Check to see if you’re registered here, and register to vote here. Learn more about voting in New Jersey here.

Ciattarelli, the Republican nominee, and Sherrill, the Democratic nominee, were the last ones standing after a competitive primary election on June 10. Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, is term-limited and can’t run again this year.

Sherrill is currently serving in the U.S. House of Representatives in the 11th district. She recently chose pastor and university president Dale Caldwell as her lieutenant governor nominee. Read More: Sherrill Picks Caldwell As Running Mate For 2025 Election

Ciattarelli is a former state assemblyman from New Jersey. He has picked Morris County Sheriff James Gannon as his lieutenant governor nominee. Read More: Ciattarelli Taps County Sheriff As Running Mate In 2025 Election

Third-party and independent candidates running in the 2025 election include Vic Kaplan (Libertarian Party) and Joanne Kuniansky (Socialist Workers Party). Candidates running write-in campaigns include Lily Benavides (Green Party) and Darrell Armstrong (independent).

According to state election data, there were 2.52 million registered Democrats, 1.67 million registered Republicans, and 2.34 million unaffiliated voters in New Jersey as of Oct. 1.

• See Related: 5 Takeaways From First NJ Governor Debate: Sherrill vs. Ciattarelli
• See Related: How Accurate Are NJ Governor Polls? Here’s What We Found

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