The first New Jersey Senate debate between Democrats Andy Kim and Tammy Murphy will take place on Sunday, February 18, at 8 PM.
The 90-minute debate is sponsored by the New Jersey Globe, On New Jersey, and the Rebovich Institute of New Jersey Politics at Rider University and will be streamed on the New Jersey Globe, On New Jersey, Facebook Live, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube.
The incumbent, Bob Menendez, has been invited to participate in the debate if he announces his candidacy by February 11.
Laura Jones, the host of “New Jersey Politics with Laura Jones,” a weekly public affairs show for MeTV-WJLP New Jersey/New York, will serve as the debate moderator. Panelists will include New Jersey Globe political reporter Joey Fox, New Jersey Globe editor David Wildstein, and Micah Rasmussen, the director of the Rebovich Institute. Questions will also come from some members of the public.
An initial debate invitation was extended to Kim and Murphy for February 4, before the first-in-the-state Monmouth County Democratic Convention on February 10. Kim accepted, but Murphy was unavailable.
Both candidates were advised that the debate would proceed if one agreed to participate. Accordingly, Kim will appear alone on February 4 for a livestream event to discuss his candidacy for the U.S. Senate.
Subsequently, Kim and Murphy accepted a debate invitation for February 18.
Other candidates may be added if they meet the following criteria by February 11: $750,000 raised and a public endorsement by Democratic elected officials and municipal/county party chairs from at least five municipalities; or 10% of the vote at the February 10 Monmouth County Democratic convention. In telephone calls on Wednesday evening, the New Jersey Globe informed two other announced candidates, Patricia Campos-Medina and Lawrence Hamm, of the debate qualifications standards.