Democrats and Republicans running in their respective political party’s primaries this June will square off in separate debates at Rider University in Lawrenceville on Feb. 2 and Feb. 4.
There are 10 Democrats and Republicans vying for their party’s nomination and the winners of the June 10 primary will face each other on the Nov. 4 General Election ballot. The state constitution prohibits Gov. Phil Murphy, who is now in the final year of his second term, from running for a third term.
The candidates who have confirmed their attendance at the Democratic debate on Sunday, Feb. 2 include Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, Congressman Josh Gottheimer, Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill, New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller, and former Senate President Steve Sweeney.
The GOP debate on Tuesday, Feb. 4, will include state Senator Jon Bramnick, former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, former state Senator Ed Durr and NJ 101.5 radio host Bill Spadea.
The debates are sponsored by The New Jersey Globe, On New Jersey, and the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University, with Save Jersey as an additional sponsor for the Republican debate. Laura Jones, Emmy Award-winning host of “New Jersey Politics with Laura Jones,” will serve as the moderator.
Micah Rasmussen, the director of Rider’s Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics, will serve as a panelist for the debates, alongside New Jersey Globe editor David Wildstein and New Jersey Globe political reporter Joey Fox. Save Jersey Editor Matt Rooney will be a panelist for the Republican debate.
The debates will be available for live streaming and replay on newjerseyglobe.com and onnj.com.
