The New Jersey governor’s race saw a heated exchange on Sunday as Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli, endorsed by President Donald Trump, directly accused Democratic Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill of violating federal law during their first major debate, as reported by the Gateway Pundit.

The debate, hosted by The New Jersey Globe at Rider University, focused on key issues including taxes, housing, cost of living, tariffs, and education. Both candidates attempted to contrast their public service records while appealing to a statewide audience.

Sherrill, currently representing New Jersey in Congress, used her time on stage to criticize Ciattarelli and boast of her prospects in November. “I’m going to make sure that he doesn’t get to serve (in office) again when I win for governor in November of this year,” she said.

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Ciattarelli, a businessman and former state representative, responded by highlighting the difference in their career paths.

“There’s another big difference between her public service and my public service,” he said. “It actually cost me money with the amount of time I put in (as a state rep.), it took away from my company.”

He then leveled a direct accusation that shifted the tone of the debate. Ciattarelli told the audience that Sherrill’s personal finances had grown significantly during her tenure in Washington. “In the 7 years that she’s been in Congress, she’s tripled her net worth,” he said.

Ciattarelli further alleged that Sherrill engaged in improper stock trading activity.

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“There’s another big difference between the two of us: she broke the law,” he said.

“She had to pay fines for violating federal law on stock trades and stock reporting, and The New York Times reports that while you were sitting on the House Armed Services Committee, you were trading defense stocks.”

Trump-endorsed Jack Ciattarelli is cooking Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill in the NJ Gubernatorial debate:

“In the 7 years that she’s been in Congress, she’s tripled her net worth… While you were sitting on the House Armed Services Committee, you were trading defense stocks.” pic.twitter.com/hMPwssPWTq

— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) September 22, 2025

The charges echoed concerns raised in previous reporting on congressional stock trading practices, with critics pointing to potential conflicts of interest when lawmakers on defense-related committees buy and sell related equities.

The revelation sparked reactions across the debate audience and quickly became the defining moment of the evening.

Ciattarelli framed the issue as a matter of accountability, telling voters they must choose between a candidate tied to private-sector experience and one he described as a career politician who benefited financially from public office.

The debate comes at a critical time, with polls showing the gubernatorial contest remains competitive. The next debate between the two candidates is scheduled ahead of the November election.