Mikie sherrill scared to debate ciattarelli on cbs? Dem candidate says no

Sherrill skips CBS debate invite as Ciattarelli accuses her of ducking public scrutiny

TRENTON, NJ – Mikie Sherrill has turned down an offer by CBS to host a debate between the Democrat nominee for governor in New Jersey and Jack Ciattarelli. Sherrill’s team did not publicly say why the former U.S. Navy pilot declined the CBS debate.

In a post Tuesday on X (formerly Twitter), Ciattarelli claimed that Sherrill “just turned down ANOTHER debate,” referencing a scheduled CBS News forum. He accused the congresswoman of “ducking again,” alleging that voters “deserve answers — not a no-show.”

https:// /Jack4NJ/status/1945549241847615714

Ciattarelli has accused Sherrill, whose poll numbers are slowly falling as the candidate tries to distance herself from the failed energy policies and high energy costs associated with her political ally, Governor Phil Murphy.

Sherrill’s campaign has not issued an official response to the CBS debate rejection but has previously confirmed participation in three gubernatorial debates:

Debate 01 – Gubernatorial

NJ Globe‚ Rider University‚ On New Jersey

Time and Date: Sunday‚ September 21‚ 2025‚ from 7-8:30 pm
Moderator: Laura Jones
Location: Rider University in Lawrenceville

How to view debate:
The debate will be live-streamed by On New Jersey at www.onnj.com‚ www.newjerseyglobe.com‚ Roku‚ Fire TV‚ NewsOn‚ Samsung TV‚ and Apple TV. Viewing also is available on YouTube‚ Facebook‚ X‚ Instagram and CSPAN. The audio version will be made available to podcast partners Apple‚ Spotify and iHeart Radio.

Debate 02 – Lieutenant Governor

PIX11/WPIX-TV; PHL17/WPHL-TV; Kean University; New Jersey 101.5

Time and Date: Tuesday‚ September 30‚ 2025‚ from 7-8:00 pm
Co-Moderators: Dan Mannarino‚ Henry Rosoff
Location: Kean University in Union

How to view debate:
A live broadcast of the debate will take place on WPIX and WPHL. It will also be aired live via radio at New Jersey 101.5. The debate also will be live-streamed on PIX11.com‚ PHL17.com‚ NJ101.5.com and PIX 11+ (PIX 11’s streaming app).

Debate 03 – Gubernatorial

ABC7‚ WABC-TV‚ New York‚ 6ABC‚ WPVI-TV‚ Philadelphia‚ WXTV Univision 41 New York‚ Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning & Public Policy‚ Rutgers University

Time and Date: Wednesday‚ October 08‚ 2025‚ from 7-8:00 pm
Co-Moderators: Tamala Edwards and Bill Ritter
Location: New Brunswick Performing Arts Center in New Brunswick

How to view debate:
A live broadcast of the debate will take place on both WABC and WPVI. There will be simultaneous streaming on all digital platforms‚ including websites (abc7ny.com and 6abc.com respectively)‚ mobile apps and streaming channels‚ for both stations as well as ABC News LIVE. WXTV Univision 41 New York will livestream the debate with Spanish Captioning.

Ciattarelli, a former assemblyman and 2021 gubernatorial nominee, has pushed for additional faceoffs beyond the three NJ ELEC mandatory debates, saying New Jersey voters need more opportunities to compare candidates directly. His campaign continues to frame Sherrill’s limited debate schedule as avoidance.

The Sherrill campaign has focused heavily on policy rollouts and voter outreach across Democratic strongholds, but critics argue her reluctance to expand the debate schedule may affect public perception heading into the final stretch. Sherrill has transitioned her campaign into a low-traction one in recent weeks after dismal turnouts in her key demographic areas, where protesters and hecklers have interrupted her scheduled visits.

The first face-to-face between Sherrill and Ciattarelli is less than a month away, and expectations for direct clashes over taxes, education, crime, and reproductive rights are running high.

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