Democrat Mikie Sherrill brought a steely demeanor to the dance tonight, aggressively countering Jack Ciattarelli's attempt to take apart her public service record by criticizing the Republican's private business record and repeatedly demonstrating her opponent's cemented ties to President Donald J. Trump.

The WPVI-TV debate at Rutgers New Brunswick flared when Sherrill, who served in the United States Navy for nearly a decade, denounced what she cited as Trump's illegal movement of National Guard troops, and his designs on using American cities as training grounds for the United States Military.

Ciattarelli in response said he had told Trump personally that he wouldn't need the federal government to step up operations here.

Of course, they already have.

Feds earlier this year handcuffed Newark Mayor Ras Baraka when he tried to examine a detention facility and charged U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver for trying to help Baraka.

"As governor, we'll have safe communities. We're going to be a law-and-order state again," Ciattarelli said.

A former federal prosecutor, Sherrill shot back: "I'm the only one who's actually worked closely with law enforcement."

At another point in the debate, before affixing an "F" grade to Trump's presidency, after Ciattarelli rated him an "A," the congresswoman said, "Jack won't say one cross word about the President. He's even said New Jerseyans should take on a little bit of pain for Trump's tariffs."

"What I'm worried about is what I can control," said Ciattarelli, who berated his opponent for doing "a dance" with New York Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.

But another dance unfolded in real time.

Going into the second the final debate, the Republican had hoped to gain traction by invoking an Annapolis graduation cheating scandal, which occurred when Sherrill went to school there. The congresswoman said she did not walk in the graduation ceremony because she refused to name the names of other classmates punished for cheating on a test. Ciattarelli said she needs to set the record straight by releasing the entirety of her records, but Sherrill said Ciattarelli behaved unethically by enabling allies to furnish the media with materials that contained unredacted private information, including her social security number.

"He puts down public service at every turn," she said a moment later, setting up a key contrast point, and the dramatic hinge of the clash.

"I'm going to lower the business tax," Ciattarelli said.

Then Sherrill uncoiled.

"As a businessman, he worked with some of the worst offenders and said opioids are safe. ...He made millions. Opioid companies made billions."

Her charge referred to privately contracted work by a Ciattarelli-owned company.

"Shame on you," Ciattarelli said.

"Shame on you, sir."

"It's a lie. I'm proud of my career."

"The people you got addicted and who died deserved better," Sherrill said. "You went on to kill tens of thousands [in the Opioid crisis] [with] misinformation and propaganda."

Ciattarelli attempted to counter by noting that he had walked in his own graduation ceremony. But Sherrill - criticized throughout the campaign season for a perceived lack of forceful communication - appeared steady in a double impact criticism of her rival: exposing the Trump ally's willingness to green light the releasing of the sensitive private records of a public servant; while reversing the target, and very pointedly calling into question, Ciattarelli's business record as a private citizen.

UPDATE: The Republican nominee for Governor a day later would counter by announcing a lawsuit.