Ciattarelli criticizes Sherrill for stance on government shutdown during New Jersey debate

During New Jersey’s gubernatorial debate Wednesday night, Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli criticized his Democratic opponent, Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., for playing politics when it comes to the ongoing government shutdown.

While there was no government shutdown under former President Joe Biden, there were several moments where a shutdown was narrowly averted, with Congress and the White House negotiating at the last minute to pass an appropriations package that would keep the lights on.

“When there were shutdowns during the Biden era, she voted each time to uphold the resolution to keep the government open – to make it open again. This time, with Trump in the White House, she voted ‘no’ on the resolutions to keep the government open,” Ciattarelli said.

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Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill (left) and Republican Jack Ciattarelli (right) are among the leading candidates for governor ahead of the New Jersey primary. (Getty Images)

The current shutdown is the first to occur in seven years, as Republicans and Democrats vie to continue the expansion of ObamaCare, which expires at the end of the year.

During the debate, Ciattarelli tried to portray himself as someone who has connections in Washington and Congress that will help “get things done,” while accusing Sherrill of blaming Trump for everything that’s wrong in New Jersey.

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Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli, left, shakes hands with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mikie Sherrill, right, before a debate Sunday, September 21, 2025, in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

“I don’t know what he has to do with our property taxes. I don’t know what he has to do with our electric rates, the failure of a public school system, the failure of our public safety throughout New Jersey with the handcuffs of our police, the failure of development in our suburbs. He has nothing to do with any of those things. So, as I often like to say on the campaign trail, ‘If you get a flat tire tomorrow – prepare yourself – she goes blaming President Trump.’ » said the GOP candidate.

In response, Sherrill accused her opponent of “excusing President Trump of everything because that’s who he works for.”

These comments were also consistent with what she said on the campaign trail, during which she argued that “instead of working with Democrats to cut costs, protect health care, and support workers, Washington Republicans knelt to Donald Trump, shutting down the government.”

President Donald Trump and Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli. (Getty Images; AP)

“One in three children are on Medicaid, and there will be about a $5 billion hole in the budget because of Trump’s Medicaid cuts,” Sherrill said. “It took away funding for some of our innovative power while we face a public service crisis – it’s going to increase costs for families by hundreds of dollars. We took it. It takes away Title Prime funding for our schools, which raises our taxpayer tax rate. That’s why I’m fighting against it.”

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Ciattarelli and Sherrill are fighting to replace term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy. The general elections are scheduled for November 4, 2025.