The Brian Lehrer Show New Jersey Gubernatorial Debate Recap
Oct 9, 2025
Nancy Solomon, a New Jersey politics commentator and host of the call-in show for Governor Murphy, breaks down the heated gubernatorial debate between Mikie Sherrill and Jack Ciattarelli. She discusses the surprising negativity and how scandal-focused attacks might impact voter perception. Solomon offers insights into Ciattarelli’s controversial medical publishing history and the implications of military service records. The candidates' diverging views on energy policy, education funding, and abortion rights also come under scrutiny, illuminating the critical issues voters face.
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Opioid Business Allegations Loom Large
- Mikie Sherrill accused Jack Ciattarelli's past business activities of contributing to opioid deaths and said his firm published misleading information and developed an app easing access to opioids.
- Nancy Solomon noted there's no known legal finding against Ciattarelli, but investigative reporting raised questions about his medical-publishing role.
Investigative Reporting, Not Prosecution
- Nancy Solomon traced the allegation to a 2021 Star-Ledger investigation about Ciattarelli's medical-publishing business and its opioid recommendations.
- She emphasized there's no public legal action tying him to criminal responsibility, though reporting questioned the publications' advocacy for opioids.
Naval Academy Walk Denial Story
- Mikie Sherrill described being denied the ceremonial walk at Naval Academy graduation over alleged failure to report classmates cheating.
- Nancy Solomon said records don't clearly confirm the reason and framed the attacks as attempts to undermine Sherrill's military narrative.