As the New Jersey gubernatorial election approaches its final days, the race has become increasingly adversarial, with both candidates leveraging personal and political attacks to sway public opinion. Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli’s campaign has denounced Democratic challenger Mikie Sherrill for spreading defamatory allegations that he ‘killed tens of thousands of people.’ These accusations followed Sherrill’s claims during a gubernatorial debate on October 8 and her subsequent press conference, where she alleged that Ciattarelli’s medical publishing company downplayed the dangers of opioids and his app facilitated access to dangerous drugs, exacerbating the opioid crisis in New Jersey.
Reacting to these claims, Chris Russell, a key strategist for Ciattarelli, condemned Sherrill’s allegations as ‘slanderous’ and called for her to retract her comments and issue an apology. Russell emphasized that Ciattarelli’s medical publishing company had created an online tool to help chronic pain sufferers educate themselves on treatment options and better advocate for their healthcare. He accused Sherrill of using these claims to divert attention from her own controversies, such as her concealed stock trades and her role in the Naval Academy cheating scandal. Ciattarelli’s threat of legal action underscores the gravity with which his team views these accusations.
In response, Sean Higgins, Sherrill’s campaign spokesperson, defended her claims, asserting that Ciattarelli had been paid by opioid companies to create an app that promoted Hydrocodone prescriptions during the height of the opioid crisis. Higgins criticized Ciattarelli for profiting from the suffering of New Jerseyans and suggested that his alleged involvement with opioid companies made him untrustworthy as governor. Despite Ciattarelli’s threats of legal repercussions, Sherrill doubled down on her accusations, insisting that her campaign’s focus was on exposing his alleged complicity in the opioid crisis.
The escalating tensions reflect a broader pattern of personal attacks and political maneuvering in the race. Ciattarelli, meanwhile, shifted his focus to his policy agenda, outlining plans to ban sanctuary jurisdictions, return state workers to in-person work, appoint a state attorney general who supports both police and parents, reform the education system, and eliminate green energy initiatives in New Jersey. This pivot highlights the strategic nature of the campaign, as both candidates seek to position themselves as the more credible and policy-focused leader.