NJ gubernatorial candidates trade barbs on News 12’s ‘Power & Politics’ show

Republican Jack Ciattarelli and Democrat Rep. Mikie Sherrill spoke with News 12’s Eric Landskroner as the November election approaches.

Matt Trapani and Eric Landskroner

Aug 29, 2025, 9:25 PM

Updated 2 hr ago

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New Jersey’s gubernatorial candidates took shots at one another in separate interviews on New 12 New Jersey’s “Power & Politics” program.
Republican Jack Ciattarelli and Democrat Rep. Mikie Sherrill spoke with News 12’s Eric Landskroner as the November election approaches. They discussed everything from school funding to sky-high energy costs.
Neither candidate pulled any punches when it came to explaining why the other was fit enough to lead the Garden State.
“He really doesn’t have a history of doing things he says he’s doing other than supporting [President Donald] Trump. So, whether it comes to attacking reproductive health or voting to raise taxes…He’ll tell everyone what they want to hear, but he has no real plan to drive down costs for families,” Sherrill said.
Ciattarelli has frequently called the congresswoman “Phil Murphy 2.0.” He had this to say about Sherrill’s claim that he is beholden to the president:
"What does President Trump have to do with our property taxes? What does he have to do with our electric bills?... We just slipped from 2 to 12 on the NASH report card. Nonviolent crimes through the roof…flash mobs on the Jersey Shore. Why? Because of [Gov.] Phil Murphy's policies, along with his attorney general, whom she supports,” Ciattarelli said. “President Trump has nothing to do with those things. We're gonna make this race all about New Jersey.”
Watch “Power & Politics” this weekend to see more from the interviews.