Phony promises, failed policies expose cynical blame game against grid operator.

New Jersey Democrats have been tripping over themselves while attempting to deflect blame for rising energy prices away from the expensive regulations they implemented. 

The clown act reached its peak when Rep. Mikie Sherrill, the party’s candidate for governor this November, pledged to put a freeze on utility bills during her first year in office. Beginning in June, Jersey residents experienced a 20 percent increase in electricity prices that can be pinned on the kind of policies she has supported in Congress. She’s panicking and pivoting. But Gov. Phil Murphy, the two-term Democrat Sherrill hopes to succeed, didn’t get the memo about her campaign strategy. While talking to reporters, Murphy said he was “not sure“ Sherrill’s plan would work. The governor even went a step further and expressed doubt Sherrill had spent any serious time going into the details about what’s driving high energy prices. Is Murphy on the payroll for the opposing side? 

Jack Ciattarelli, the Republican challenger, consistently links Sherrill and Murphy with a “failed radical energy agenda“ in his campaign statements and quite rightly views Sherrill’s proposed freeze as a political stunt designed to placate angry ratepayers. By contrast, Ciattarelli plans to ban offshore wind and “diversify“ the state’s energy sources by including nuclear and coal. Ciattarelli is also committed to withdrawing New Jersey from a multistate carbon tax plan known as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Put simply, the Republican candidate would reverse the green mandates Sherrill and Murphy have both supported to the detriment of affordable energy. 

Murphy has adopted a plan to make New Jersey fully dependent on so-called green energy by 2035. Sherrill could have put some daylight between herself and Murphy’s “Green New Deal” schemes when Congress voted earlier this year to overturn the EPA’s approval of California’s Advanced Clean Cars II rule. That would have been a good time for Sherrill to side with consumers since the rule would ban the sale of gas-powered vehicles. But, Sherrill did not side with consumers, as she voted against H.J. Res. 88 and in favor of the California/New Jersey standards.

(RELATED: Pollster: Republicans in 'Striking Distance' of Winning New Jersey Governor’s Race)

Affordability and Climate Policies 

Affordability remains the top concern for New Jersey voters heading into this year’s gubernatorial race, according to new polling from Steve Cortes, founder of the League of American Workers. 

Per Cortes’ poll: 72 percent of voters call view affordability as a major challenge with 63 percent citing property taxes as the main culprit and 57% pointing to energy prices. 

New Jersey already has one of the highest property taxes in the country with the average  bill now exceeding $10,000 a year. That much widely known and is already baked into the cake. So, it’s really the huge jump in electricity bills more than anything else that comes at a particularly inauspicious moment for Democrats trying to hold the governor’s mansion.  

Although New Jersey is a traditionally blue state where Democrats hold a significant registration and fundraising advantage, the latest poll from Cortes shows Ciattarelli, a businessman and former assemblyman, is within striking distance. At the moment, the race appears to be tied. 

Democrats hold a voter registration advantage of about 896,350 over Republicans, but the New Jersey Division of Elections shows Republicans gained more new voters in recent years. The total number of voters in 2024 increased by 244,598 in the state including 37,519 new Democrats, 95,784 new Republicans and 112,115 new unaffiliated voters. The total number of unaffiliated voters is roughly even with the number of Democrats, according to state figures. 

New Jersey has elected Republican governors in recent election cycles including Chris Christie. But the state has not voted for a Republican presidential candidate since George H.W. Bush in 1988.

Ciattarelli, who nearly unseated Murphy in the last gubernatorial election continues to pound away at the incumbent’s record on energy. 

"When Phil Murphy took office, New Jersey was an electricity exporter, Ciatarelli told FOX Business’ “The Bottom Line” in an interview.  "When you go to the exchanges to import your electricity, you're competing with other states. This is what's driving the price up."

Ciattarelli is particularly critical of Murphy’s decision to shut down the state’s nuclear and coal plants without making any plans to replace those assets. The rising costs associated with Murphy’s “Master Energy Plan“ are complicating the political terrain for Sherrill. The Garden State Initiative (GSI), a nonprofit outfit that promotes economic opportunities in New Jersey, has just released a study highlighting the financial fallout from Murphy’s plan. 

“The New Jersey Energy Master Plan’s (NJEMP) focus on wind and solar will cost $5 billion per year and lead to 35% rate increases and higher cost of goods and services – rate increases that were both foreseeable and preventable,” GSI President Audrey Lane said in a statement.

“Our data clearly shows that the issue of rising costs was either not contemplated or, more likely, purposefully ignored when drafting the 2019 NJEMP. The attempt to shift blame for the impact on ratepayers is unfortunate.  However, the blame-game is futile.  It is my hope this research will provide the critical data needed for analysis in the drafting of new energy policy that will provide more affordable, reliable and sustainable energy in our state.”

But Murphy, and other Democrats, are attempting to blame PJM Interconnection LLC, the multi-state grid operator serving 13 states and the District of Columbia. PJM, to its credit, is having none of it, and is giving it right back to the political class. Remember that part about New Jersey Democrats tripping over themselves?

Aftab Khan, PJM’s executive vice president of operations, planning and security, published a commentary in Utility Dive where he cut right to the chase. “We at PJM need realistic solutions, not politics, to take on energy challenges,” Khan wrote. “Some public narratives have presented an inaccurate picture of PJM’s role in cost-effectively keeping the lights on.”

Khan goes on to make the point that PJM does not operate for profit and is regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). PJM cannot make any major changes in its operations without that body’s approval. Get that Murphy? Unfortunately, PJM can serve as a punching bag for political figures working to escape blame for their own policies. But if they’re going to play that game, Team Murphy should know by now they are putting themselves in a place where they can schooled in public about the laws of supply and demand. Khan does this very nicely:

“Power plants that generate electricity are retiring, often due to decarbonization policies or economic pressures,” he wrote. “Simultaneously, demand is increasing due to the growth of artificial intelligence, data centers, electrification and a resurgence in U.S. manufacturing. When fewer resources are available and more are needed, prices naturally rise.”

In other words, Mr. Governor, the green mandates you and Sherrill support are making the situation untenable and electricity prices are going up because your climate policies do not square with reality and not because of anything PJM is doing. 

Sherrill could try taking a deeper dive into what’s putting added pressure on the grid and steps that could be taken to accommodate rising energy demands. But we have on the strong authority of Murphy that she’s not a detailed-oriented person. 

Ciatattrelli and Sherrill are set to hold their first debate Sept. 21 at Rider University in Lawrenceville, New Jersey.

(READ MORE: Could Trump Use National Security Measures to Block Offshore Wind Projects?)

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Kevin Mooney is a Senior Investigative Researcher for Restoration News specializing in energy policy, environmentalist groups, and dark money. He writes regularly for the American Spectator, Washington Examiner, Daily Caller, Daily Signal, and National Review. Kevin is the author of an upcoming book on the climate change movement and American independence.

Republican Jack Ciattarelli held a single-point lead over Democratic Representative Mikie Sherrill in new internal poll of the New Jersey gubernatorial race.

Newsweek reached out to the Ciattarelli and Sherrill campaigns for comment via email.

Why It Matters

The New Jersey and Virginia gubernatorial elections in November are viewed as key bellwethers for the mood of the American electorate ahead of the midterm elections, when Democrats are hoping to flip control of the House of Representatives, Senate and governor offices across the country.

Democrats are optimistic about the chances of Sherrill, who has led independent polling. But Republicans believe polling has undercounted support for Ciattarelli, who has been endorsed by President Donald Trump and garnered name recognition from his 2021 governor run—when he nearly unseated incumbent Democratic Governor Phil Murphy.

What to Know

With election day less than two months out, The New Jersey Globe reported on a new internal Ciattarelli poll, conducted by National Research, showing him lead Sherrill by a 46 percent to 45 percent margin.

It surveyed 600 likely voters from September 16 to September 18. It had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

The internal GOP poll is the first to show Ciattarelli with a lead. Internal polls are often viewed as less reliable than independent polls, as they are released. But it underscores the competitive nature of the race.

A National Research poll from earlier in September showed Sherrill up 2 points (47 percent to 45 percent). It polled 600 likely voters from September 8 to 10 and also had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

Other polls have shown Sherrill with a lead. 

A Quinnipiac poll, conducted among 1,238 likely voters from September 11 to September 15, showed Sherrill leading by about nine points (51 percent to 42 percent). It had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points. A Rutgers University poll, which surveyed 1,650 likely voters from July 31 to August 11, showed Sherrill up 10 points (47 percent to 37 percent). It had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points.

New Jersey is a traditionally Democratic-leaning state, but Republicans have made inroads with the state's voters over the past few years. It voted for former President Joe Biden by nearly 16 points in 2020 and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by 14 points in 2016. In 2024, it backed former Vice President Kamala Harris by nearly 6 points.

Sherrill has represented a Morris County-based Congressional district since 2019 and has sought to establish a more moderate voting record. Ciattarelli is a former member of the New Jersey General Assembly and lost by only 3 points in his 2021 gubernatorial run.

What People Are Saying

CNN data analyst Harry Enten said earlier in September: "Why am I saying it's a flashing red siren for Republicans? If the same party has won in the New Jersey and Virginia gubernatorial races dating back to 1989, guess who won the U.S. House the following year? Six out of seven times, the same party wins nationally, and they win the U.S. House of Representatives if in fact win in both Virginia and New Jersey."

Sherrill said during a debate Sunday evening: "I'm the only one that has a plan to actually take on the tough problems of New Jersey. In fact, Jack's been in office before, and a lot of the things he complains about, he was the architect of."

Ciattarelli said during the debate: "I'm a two-time successful businessowner here in the state of New Jersey, having created jobs. I've also had the privilege of serving at every level of government—municipal, county and legislature, term-limiting myself each time, not taking the salary and benefits at the municipal, county level. I'm an MBA CPA. No candidate has ever come before you with that resume, so I'm committed to fixing our state."

What Happens Next

Early voting will begin in New Jersey on October 25, according to the New Jersey Secretary of State office. Forecasters give Sherrill an advantage—both the Cook Political Report and Sabato's Crystal Ball classify the race as Leans Democrat.