NEWARK, NJ – Gubernatorial candidates Jack Ciattarelli and Mikie Sherrill sparred over climate change policy during a debate, offering starkly different views on how New Jersey should address global warming’s effect on urban communities of color and suburban communities dealing with the fallout of the state’s housing shortages and mandates on affordable housing.

Ciattarelli acknowledged the role of human activity in climate change but pushed for what he called a “rational transition” in the state’s energy future. He argued for natural gas, nuclear power in South Jersey, and solar as part of an “all-of-the-above approach,” while criticizing Democrats for supporting high-density housing projects across all municipalities.

In New Jersey, rural municipalities are being forced by Governor Phil Murphy and the Democrat run legislature and assembly to build thousands of new housing units in areas that quite frankly, cannot support thousands of new housing units, or the people that would live there.

“It’s not just in our urban areas where the climate change is affecting us,” Ciattarelli said, pointing to worsening flooding in suburban towns. He tied part of the problem to overdevelopment, saying, “If a town doesn’t have infrastructure, mass transit, opportunity for jobs, why are we putting more idling cars on the road?”

Sherrill drew on her experience as chair of the House environment subcommittee, warning that extreme weather and poor air quality are already hitting vulnerable communities hardest. She pointed to higher asthma rates in cities and linked climate change directly to worsening public health outcomes.

“We’ve seen flash flooding here in New Jersey killing several people throughout the state,” Sherrill said. “We need to act quickly to protect our environment but to also ensure that we have better health outcomes in this state.” She pledged to cut carbon emissions, expand renewable energy, and bring more power onto the grid to lower consumer costs.

Sherrill failed to acknowledge that the flash flooding in New Jersey urban areas is caused by overdevelopment. The water has nowhere to go.

Sherrill has also voiced support for increasing affordable housing in suburban areas through the development of large apartment projects. Critics, including Ciattarelli, argue that such projects contribute to flooding and the cutting down of forests, worsening environmental strain on already vulnerable communities.

The exchange highlighted a key divide between the candidates: Ciattarelli prioritizing incremental energy shifts and development limits, while Sherrill emphasized urgent emission cuts, public health protections, and expanded housing.

She also supports offshore wind and Green New Deal-style energy agendas that have driven up costs and diminished supply for New Jersey.

Key Points

• Ciattarelli called for natural gas, nuclear, and solar as part of a gradual energy transition, while opposing high-density housing expansion.
• Sherrill linked climate change to public health and vowed to cut emissions, expand renewable energy, and lower costs.
• Sherrill also supports building large affordable housing projects in suburban areas, which critics say worsen flooding and deforestation.

The debate highlighted how climate and housing policy remain deeply intertwined in New Jersey’s governor’s race.