Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Patricia Campos-Medina is protesting a decision by the New Jersey Globe to leave her out of the first Senate debate on February 18.
“It is no secret that New Jersey’s political machine makes it hard for working-class people to participate in our democratic process,” said Campos-Medina. “It is disappointing that debate organizers are putting their thumb on the scale by excluding me from participating and blocking me from sharing our message with voters.”
Rep. Andy Kim (D-Moorestown) and First Lady Tammy Murphy were asked to faceoff in the debate. The three-term incumbent, Bob Menendez, was also invited on the condition that he enters the race by February 11.
That leaves two others, former Newark school board member Lawrence Hamm and Campos-Medina, out unless they meet the criteria set by the New Jersey Globe.
Campos-Medina believes a debate without her will leave important issues out of the discussion.
“If this event goes on as announced, this ‘debate’ will only feature two candidates who share the same weak positions and have no intention of making progress on progressive issues that matter to working families,” Campos-Medina stated. “Voters will not hear anything about supporting a ceasefire in Gaza, providing Medicare for all, solutions for tackling student debt, or expanding workers’ rights. I am the only candidate advocating for these issues.”
To qualify for the debate, the New Jersey Globe has asked candidates to have raised at least $750,000 and obtain the public support of at one Democratic elected official or municipal chair from at least five of the state’s 564 municipalities by February 11 — or win at least 10% of the vote at the Monmouth County Democratic convention on February 4.
Campos-Medina, an activist with ties to national labor unions, entered the Senate race on January 3. She maintains that her candidacy will attract voters that Kim or Murphy cannot.
“I am not a career politician backed by political machines, lobbyists, or Wall Street. I’m not part of a dysfunctional Congress. Nor was I ever a Republican. Moderation and nepotism are not why I am running for U.S. Senate,” she said. “New Jersey voters deserve choices – not politics as usual or moderate platforms that don’t address the real issues our communities face.”
Editor’s note: the New Jersey Globe alone set the criteria to present a debate between candidates with a clear path to the nomination. All candidates were informed of the benchmarks needed to qualify.