Legislative candidates in the 14th District are working on plans for at least two debates in the run-up to the November election.
By: Paul Koepp
Legislative candidates in the 14th District are working on plans for at least two debates in the run-up to the November election.
The Democrats running for Assembly, Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein of Plainsboro and Wayne DeAngelo of Hamilton, proposed two debates as required under the Fair and Clean Elections pilot program.
The rules of the clean elections program require one debate between Oct. 1 and Oct. 15 and another between Oct. 16 and Oct. 30. The state Election Law Enforcement Commission must be notified of the finalized debate plans by Oct. 3 so they can be certified by Oct. 7.
Under the Democrats’ proposal, the Assembly candidates including Republicans Adam Bushman, of Jamesburg, and Hamilton Councilman Tom Goodwin would participate in one debate in each county, Middlesex and Mercer, represented in the 14th District.
One debate would be hosted by the Monroe Township League of Women Voters at the Monroe Township Public Library, while the other would be hosted by the League of Women Voters of the Princeton Area at Mercer County Community College in West Windsor.
Elizabeth Meyers, spokeswoman for the Democratic campaigns, said Tuesday that the Democrats were still waiting for Mr. Bushman and Mr. Goodwin to confirm the specifics of the planned debates. She said there would also likely be two debates between the Senate candidates, Republican Assemblyman Bill Baroni, of Hamilton, and Democrat Seema Singh, of South Brunswick.
However, Mr. Baroni said Tuesday that he would prefer to have debates with all six legislative candidates present, including himself and Ms. Singh, because state senators and Assembly members from the 14th District have worked so closely together in the Legislature in the past.
He said he expects the candidates to participate in informal forums as well, including one planned at the West Windsor Senior Center on Oct. 22.

