Politics
South Jersey voters face two congressional races without incumbent debates
U.S. Reps. Donald Norcross and Herb Conaway have declined debate challenges from their Republican opponents, leaving voters in New Jersey’s 1st and 3rd congressional districts without a scheduled general-election matchup. Norcross last debated an opponent in 2016; Conaway says he has no plans to debate Michael McGuire.
As New Jersey voters prepare to choose their representatives in November, two Democratic incumbents in South Jersey are not scheduled to debate their Republican challengers: U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross in the 1st Congressional District and U.S. Rep. Herb Conaway in the 3rd.
Norcross, who is seeking another term, has not debated an opponent in 10 years, according to a review of his debate history. His last known debate was a May 31, 2016, forum with Democratic primary challenger Alex Law and Republican candidate Bob Patterson.
Republican challenger Damon Galdo says he has spent months trying to arrange a debate, sending letters, contacting Norcross on social media and raising the issue at public events. At a September town hall in Haddon Township, Galdo asked Norcross why he would not debate. Norcross said the forum was governmental in nature and argued that he addresses issues through his work and regular town halls. He characterized Galdo’s efforts as an attempt to generate publicity.
Galdo also drew attention to the dispute with a cardboard cutout of Norcross at a music festival. He said Norcross joked that a debate could happen if Galdo’s shirt carried a union label.
In the 3rd District, Republican nominee Michael McGuire has also sought a debate with Conaway, who is making his first bid for re-election. McGuire said he challenged Conaway publicly after winning the nomination and followed up with formal correspondence and outreach to civic groups.
At an August town hall in Willingboro, McGuire asked Conaway directly to debate. Conaway replied that he had no plans to do so. In a statement, Conaway said a debate would give McGuire a platform for views he considers unsound and immoral, and said voters should focus on understanding his positions on the issues.
Debate schedules elsewhere in the state vary. Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew and Democrat Zack Mullock were scheduled to meet Oct. 22 at Stockton University in the 2nd District. A debate among 11th District candidates was set for Oct. 26 at Saint Elizabeth University. Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr. and Democratic challenger Rebecca Bennett held a debate in September, while candidates in the open 12th District seat took part in a September forum.
Micah Rasmussen, director of Rider University’s Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics, said debates can be risky for candidates because they are unscripted and may include difficult questions. Campaigns increasingly rely on advertising and other paid communications, which give candidates more control over their messages, he said. But debates remain useful to voters, Rasmussen said, including because recordings allow people to watch on their own time.
The lack of planned debates in the 1st and 3rd districts means voters there may have fewer opportunities to hear the candidates address the same questions side by side before Election Day.