Sherrill calls Ciattarelli ‘complicit’ in New Jersey opioid deaths

New Jersey Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rep. Mikie Sherrill on Monday doubled down on her claim that her Republican opponent, Jack Ciattarelli, was “complicit” with opioid companies in the deaths of tens of thousands of New Jerseyans.

Sherrill spoke at a news conference about the opioid epidemic in the Garden State and accused Ciattarelli of “seeking ways to help people access the drugs that kill them” through his ties to medication-assisted education programs.

“So you heard, Jack made millions,” he said. “Opioid companies made billions of dollars and thousands of New Jerseyans were dying.”

When a reporter asked Sherrill whether he still held Ciattarelli personally responsible for opioid deaths, the state lawmaker initially limited his answer.

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“I think we’ve established that Jack was complicit and in cahoots with these opioid companies,” Sherrill said.

The reporter asks Sherrill again: “So you’re saying he killed tens of thousands of New Jersey residents?”

“I think he’s right there with the people who are paying billions of dollars again,” Sherrill replied. “So I think the line is pretty clear.”

Sherrill first made her allegations that Ciattarelli contributed to the opioid epidemic during last week’s gubernatorial debate.

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Ciattarelli responded by promising to file a defamation lawsuit against Sherrill the day after the argument.

“Mikie Sherrill has cracked,” Ciattarelli campaign chief strategist Chris Russell charged in a statement Thursday.

“In doing so, he claimed – twice – that Jack Ciattarelli had ‘killed tens of thousands of people, including children,’ a clearly defamatory attack that shocked moderators, the press and the public,” Russell added. “At a time when political violence and violent rhetoric have become all too common, Mikie Sherrill’s baseless and reckless accusation of mass murder against a political opponent in a televised debate is overstepping the mark.”

New Jersey Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rep. Mikie Sherrill (R) and Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli are on stage at the start of their second and final debate on October 8, 2025 in New Brunswick, NJ. (Paul Steinhauser – Fox News Digital)

The Sherrill campaign responded quickly.

“Jack’s response is to hide behind a lawsuit, not take responsibility. What is reckless and irresponsible is that Jack Ciattarelli has made millions of dollars profiting from the suffering of New Jerseyans – publishing misinformation about the dangers of opioid addiction and developing an app to coach patients on asking doctors for more medication,” Sean Higgins, Sherrill campaign communications director, said in a statement.

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“While he made millions, Big Pharma made billions and tens of thousands of New Jerseyans died. It is clear that he is unfit to govern and protect this state, and he owes the people of New Jersey answers,” Higgins charged.

Ciattarelli, a former state lawmaker and certified public accountant who founded a medical publishing company before entering politics and winning election as a state lawmaker, is running for a third consecutive term for governor of New Jersey. He drew national attention four years ago as the Democratic Gov. came close to upsetting Phil Murphy.

New Jersey GOP gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli takes questions from reporters after the debate on October 8, 2025 in New Brunswick, N.J. (Paul Steinhauser – Fox News)

Ciattarelli’s connection to opioid manufacturers was first revealed during the 2021 campaign. Ciattarelli sold his company in 2017, which published content promoting the use of opioids as a low-risk treatment for chronic pain.

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At a post-debate press conference last week, Ciattarelli claimed Sherrill’s attack was “a desperate tactic of a desperate campaign on behalf of a desperate candidate.”

Asked after the debate if he had any evidence directly linking Ciattarelli to the opioid deaths, Sherrill told reporters: “I think he hasn’t said much about it. I think there’s a lot we don’t know. I think he continues to be very transparent about it.”

Rep. Mikie Sherrill, Democratic gubernatorial candidate in New Jersey, takes questions from reporters after the debate on October 8, 2025 in New Brunswick, N.J. (Paul Steinhauser – Fox News)

New Jersey and Virginia are the only states that retain this status governorship contests It’s a year after the presidential election, which means races traditionally garner a lot of national attention.

This year’s ballot showdowns are seen as important early tests of Trump’s popularity and second-term agenda, and are considered important barometers ahead of next year’s midterm elections for the U.S. House and Senate.

The winner of next month’s election in New Jersey will replace the term-limited Murphy.

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In blue-leaning New Jersey, Democrats have long dominated federal and state legislative elections, while Republicans are fiercely competitive in gubernatorial races, winning five of the last ten elections.

Political history favors both parties in the 2025 race.

The party that wins the White House tends to lose the New Jersey and Virginia gubernatorial elections the following year, favoring the Democrats. But Democrats in New Jersey are also trying to defy history; It’s been more than six decades since one party won three consecutive Garden State gubernatorial elections.