During Wednesday night's New Jersey gubernatorial debate, Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli called out his Democratic opponent, Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., for playing politics when it comes to the current government shutdown.While there were no government shutdowns under former President Joe Biden, there were several moments when a shutdown was narrowly avoided, with Congress and the White House negotiating at the last-minute to pass an appropriations package that would keep the lights on."When there were shutdowns during the Biden era, she voted every time for the continuing resolution to keep government get it open again. This time around, with Trump in the White House, she's voted no on the resolutions to keep government open," Ciattarelli said.BLUE STATE GUBERNATORIAL NOMINEES TRADE BARBS OVER CRUCIAL ISSUE WEEKS AHEAD OF ELECTION DAYThe current shutdown is the first to happen in seven years, with Republicans and Democrats fighting over continued ObamaCare expansion that expires at the end of the year.During the debate, Ciattarelli attempted to paint himself as someone who has relationships in D.C. and in Congress that will help "get things done," while he accused Sherrill of blaming Trump for everything that is wrong with New Jersey.NEW JERSEY DEM HOPEFUL VOWS TO SUE TRUMP OVER TROOP DEPLOYMENTS, SAYS STATES WOULD PAY THE PRICE"I don't know what he has to do with our property taxes. I don't know what he has to do with our electricity rates, the failure of a public school system, the failure of our public safety across New Jersey with the handcuffing of our police, to the failure of developing our suburbs. He doesn't have anything to do with all those things. So, as I often like to say on the campaign trail, 'If you get a flat tire tomorrow get ready she's going to blame it on President Trump," the GOP contender claimed.In response, Sherrill accused her opponent of "excus[ing] President Trump from everything because that's who he works for."The comments were consistent with what she has said on the campaign trail as well, during which she has argued that "instead of working with Democrats to lower costs, protect healthcare and support working people, Washington Republicans bent the knee to Donald Trump, shutting down the government in the process.""One-in-three children are on Medicaid where there's going to be about a $5 billion hole in the budget because of Trump's cuts to Medicaid," Sherrill claimed. "He's cut off funding for some of our innovative power as we're facing a utility crisis it's going to drive up costs for families by hundreds of dollars. We've taken it. He's taking away title one funding for our schools, driving up our taxpayer rate. So that's why I'm fighting that."Ciattarelli and Sherrill are vying to replace term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy. The general election is scheduled for Nov. 4, 2025.