New Jersey Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli criticized his opponent, Democrat gubernatorial candidate Mikie Sherrill, for her plan to freeze energy prices while at an “all-time high,” questioning why they would be frozen there.
“The only specific policy proposal you’ve heard from my opponent throughout this entire campaign is this declaration of a state of emergency on day one to freeze energy prices at an all-time high,” Ciattarelli said during a campaign rally. “Why would we freeze them there? We want them back to where they were, right?”
Ciattarelli went on to point out that there were “77 incumbent Democratic legislators” in New Jersey, and that out of the 52 that are “on the ballot this year,” not one of them has endorsed “her plan.”
“Here’s what I’ll do,” Ciattarelli countered, “on day one, by executive order, we’re coming out of Phil Murphy’s carbon tax.”
Ciattarelli continued to add that when elected governor, there would not be an electric vehicle mandate, stating that he would not tell people what cars they have to buy or “how to heat” their homes.
Ciattarelli’s comments come as the increase in energy and electricity prices has been an important topic in the New Jersey gubernatorial race, with both Ciattarelli and Sherrill talking about the issue, according to NBC News.
In a campaign ad, Sherrill vowed that if elected governor, on day one, she would declare “a state of emergency on utility costs using emergency powers to end these rate hikes and drive down” people’s bills.
Ciattarelli, on the other hand, vowed in a campaign advertisement to “lower electricity bills” and to “cut and cap property taxes,” according to the outlet.
Sherrill’s plan to freeze energy prices has received criticism from current New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D), who is term-limited, according to the New Jersey Globe.
“I’m not sure how you’d actually do that,” Murphy admitted. “These are private-sector players. I’m not sure if she got into the details as to how you do it, but we’ve been spending morning, noon, and night on energy, energy sources, energy affordability for years.”
President Donald Trump has also jumped into the conversation regarding the increase in energy prices in New Jersey, encouraging people in both New Jersey and Virginia to vote for the Republican gubernatorial candidates. Trump noted that a vote for a Republican “means a drastic drop in energy prices and energy costs,” while a vote for a Democrat candidate “means a doubling, and even tripling” of energy prices and bills.
“For all of those people voting in New Jersey and Virginia for Governor, Attorney General, or any other position, please remember this: A REPUBLICAN VOTE MEANS A DRASTIC DROP IN ENERGY PRICES AND ENERGY COSTS, A DROP LIKE YOU’VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. A DEMOCRAT VOTE MEANS A DOUBLING, AND EVEN TRIPLING, OF YOUR ENERGY BILLS AND PRICES, TRADITIONALLY THE HIGHEST COST OF AN AMERICAN CITIZEN.”
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