Candidates to debate at Stockton in October
Caren Fitzpatrick
ATLANTIC CITY – With NJ Assembly candidate Victor Carmona dropping out of the race, the Democrat slate of candidates challenging Republican incumbents in the 2nd Legislative District has changed, and all the candidates have agreed to participate in debates to be held at Stockton’s Atlantic City campus in October.
Carmona announced Sunday he was withdrawing from the Assembly race to focus on his community work, duties as Pleasantville councilman, Police Department chaplain, and running his small business.
Two-term Atlantic County Commissioner Caren Fitzpatrick of Somers Point will now take on incumbent Sen. Vince Polistina.
Vincent Polistina
Marine scientist and small business owner Lisa Bender of Somers Point will replace Carmona on the ticket to run alongside former U.S. Marine and kindergarten teacher Alphonso Harrell of Egg Harbor Township for two Assembly seats currently held by Republicans Don Guardian and Claire Swift.
“We must continue to build momentum, show up with all the strength, and with as many people behind us as possible to support Caren Fitzpatrick and the Democratic slate to take back the 2nd District,” Carmona told InsiderNJ.
“This election is about the people of Atlantic County having a clear choice to move in a direction they believe in with a senator who will stand up for their values, fight for children and families, and protect their rights,” Fitzpatrick said in a statement.
Fitzpatrick said the incumbents failed to deliver results for the people of Atlantic County, ramped up their extremist rhetoric against women, and joined in a disinformation campaign to block offshore wind putting thousands of union jobs at risk in South Jersey.
“Polistina had his shot representing the 2nd District. He’s proven himself incapable of anything but pandering to extremists, and he has the record to prove it,” Fitzpatrick said. “The people deserve better, and I’ll put my record representing the people of Atlantic County against Polistina’s any day.”
The William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy announced today that the candidates will debate Thursday, Oct. 19 in the Fanny Lou Hamer Room at the John F. Scarpa Academic Center, 3711 Atlantic Ave.
The debates will be held in person and livestreamed at stockton.edu/hughescenter.
Other candidates who meet minimum campaign finance thresholds and file campaign spending reports will be invited to participate, according to a release from Hughes Center Director John Froonjian.
Fitzpatrick will debate Polistina at 6 p.m. and Bender and Harrell will debate Guardian and Swift at 7 p.m.
Froonjian will moderate the debates, with Stockton faculty and a Press of Atlantic City representative serving as panelists asking debate questions from members of the public received in advance of the event.
More information on how to propose a question will be publicized closer to Oct. 19, Froonjian said.
