On Friday, former President Trump criticized Rep. Mikie Sherrill, who had just supported Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciatarelli the previous day, calling her a “corrupt radical left-wing Democrat.”
“They call her Mikie, but really, her name is the only notable thing about her,” Trump remarked during a call with Ciatarelli. He referred to Sherrill as a potential Democratic gubernatorial candidate in New Jersey.
He further claimed, “He’s facing a dishonest and radical Democrat with a history of problems in schools and integrity issues.”
Sherrill, representing New Jersey, is facing pressure to disclose her Naval Academy disciplinary records. Reports indicated that she was barred from her graduation at Annapolis College in 1994 due to alleged involvement in a cheating scandal.
Trump continued his attacks by stating, “She’s very dishonest. She was expelled from school for cheating and wasn’t even allowed to attend graduation. I just don’t understand how she managed that.”
“It would truly be a tragedy for her to become governor of New Jersey.”
The ex-president took aim at Sherrill’s energy proposals as well.
The Democratic Party has characterized offshore wind power as “the next frontier.” Sherrill has been vocal about promoting renewable energy and criticized Trump’s past claims about wind power.
She also supports increasing solar capacity in New Jersey as a way for residents to create more affordable electricity.
“We’re likely to see our energy costs double or triple,” Trump asserted.
“Mikie Sherrill may have an innocent-sounding name, but her energy policies will drive prices up, making life in New Jersey even pricier,” Trump added.
He insisted, “We’ve got to shut down the windmills along the Jersey Shore.”
“They’re a disaster; they’re incredibly costly to build and maintain, and honestly, they’re just not pleasing to the eye,” he continued.
Despite Trump’s criticisms, recent polling indicates that Ciatarelli trails Sherrill by five points.
He urged voters, saying, “If you go Republican, you’ll see a significant reduction in energy costs.”
According to Trump, Ciatarelli has extensive knowledge about energy, more than most outside the industry, and he pledged to collaborate with Republicans to decrease energy prices in the state.
“He has connections in the White House… Sherrill doesn’t, and that will lead to positive outcomes,” Trump stated.
This call occurred soon after Ciatarelli engaged with voters at an event in Newark, a stronghold for Democrats.
Sherrill addressed the audience next, stressing the importance of voting. “New Jersey has a history of being a blue state. The voting records show that. We can only lose if we don’t get out and vote,” she said.
The latest poll from Rutgers-Eagleton shows Sherrill ahead of Ciatarelli by five percentage points (50% to 45%), a notable change from the 20-point lead Ciatarelli had in June.
Early voting for the upcoming election on November 4 starts this Saturday.
