Former Republican Assemblyman Giacchino Michael ‘Jack’ Ciattarelli and Blue Dog Democratic Rep. Rebecca Michelle ‘Mikie’ Sherrill will square off Wednesday, Oct. 8, in the second of two televised debates in New Jersey’s 2025 race for governor, with the contest drawing national attention as one of only two gubernatorial elections in the country this year.
The hour-long debate, hosted by Rutgers University’s Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, will take place at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center from 7 to 8 p.m. ET.
It will be broadcast live on ABC7/WABC-TV New York and 6abc/WPVI-TV Philadelphia, streamed on ABC News Live, and simulcast with Spanish captioning on Univision’s WXTV Channel 41. The event is closed to the public.
Moderators Tamala Edwards of WPVI and Bill Ritter of WABC will question the candidates on education, healthcare, environmental policy, and criminal justice—issues both campaigns have highlighted as central to their visions for the state.
While Ciattarelli and Sherrill are the marquee contenders, they are not the only names on the November ballot.
Libertarian nominee Vic Kaplan, a former party chair and congressional candidate, and Socialist Workers Party candidate Joanne Kuniansky are also running. But both were excluded from the debate stage for failing to meet fundraising thresholds, a requirement critics say unfairly sidelines minor parties.
This year’s gubernatorial field is unusually thin. Just four candidates qualified for the ballot, the fewest since 1922. A new law doubling the number of signatures required for independent and third-party contenders—from 1,000 to 2,000—led to a string of disqualifications.
Green Party hopeful Lily Benavides, who replaced candidate Stephen Zielinski after his August withdrawal due to health problems, fell short after Democrats successfully challenged hundreds of her petition signatures. An administrative law judge ruled she had only 1,998 valid signatures, two shy of the minimum.
Her exit is viewed as a boost for Sherrill, since Green Party candidates typically attract about 10,000 votes in New Jersey.
The debate marks Ciattarelli’s latest attempt to reclaim the political spotlight after narrowly losing to Gov. Phil Murphy in 2021. Sherrill, a four-term congresswoman from Montclair and a centrist Blue Dog Democrat, has cast herself as a pragmatic problem-solver focused on middle-class families.
“This debate is an essential opportunity for voters to hear directly from the candidates on how they plan to address the challenges facing our state,” said Stuart Shapiro, dean of the Bloustein School.
Chad Matthews, president of ABC Owned Television Stations, said the debates provide “comprehensive coverage on critical issues that significantly impact the lives of local residents.”
Thomas H. Prol, chairman of the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, which is co-sponsoring the debates, said the events are vital to ensuring “an informed electorate.”
New Jersey’s governorship is one of only two on the ballot nationwide this year, alongside Virginia, giving the race outsized importance as both parties test their messages ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Ciattarelli has emphasized lowering property taxes and cutting regulations, while Sherrill has pledged to expand access to healthcare, strengthen public schools, and invest in clean energy.
With the general election less than a month away, the Oct. 8 debate may be the final chance for both candidates to make their case to a statewide audience.