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For an hour, Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew and his Democratic challenger Zack Mullock debated over several topics including the war with Iran, tariffs and immigration as they vie for the U.S. House seat covering New Jersey’s 2nd District.
The debate, hosted by the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University, took place Thursday at the Campus Center Theater without an audience, at the request of the Van Drew campaign over concerns about potential audience violence.
Van Drew claimed that a fistfight happened in the parking lot in 2022, the last time an audience attended a debate sponsored by the university. WHYY News could not verify Van Drew’s account from that time. Stockton University officials could not be reached for comment.
Constituents submitted questions ahead of the forum, which was livestreamed.
The two candidates exchanged personal attacks amid sharp disagreements on policies of national significance to voters of the district, which includes all of Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and Salem counties, along with parts of Gloucester and Ocean counties.
While Mullock said Van Drew was loyal to “Daddy Trump,” tying the incumbent to President Donald Trump, Van Drew called Mullock “Mr. Pinocchio.”
At one point, Van Drew apologized for the event for being “cranky.”
After the debate, the congressman said he enjoys debating, but said of Mullock that people “didn’t hear somebody that was truthfully debating the issues, philosophy, ideas.”
“I enjoy an intellectual debate of ideas, but [Mullock] literally had just rehearsed talking points and saying things that are just not true,” Van Drew said.
Mullock, who is mayor of Cape May, said Van Drew’s responses were reflective of his policy, adding that he has seen how people have struggled in a district that includes the poorest counties in New Jersey.
“You can’t see that and not be filled with compassion, but also, yeah, a little bit of anger,” Mullock said. “You want to make sure that you have a representative who’s truly representing the people. And frankly, I don’t think that’s what’s happening right now.”
Mullock said to make life more affordable in South Jersey, cuts in Medicaid and tariffs ordered by the Trump administration need to be reversed. He also called for an end to the war in Iran, which Mullock called “a war of stupidity.”
Van Drew denied accusations from Mullock that he voted to cut Medicaid. The Republican voted for the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which included a 12% cut to Medicaid. Van Drew pledged not to vote to cut Social Security. Mullock said, “I will work my butt off” to protect Social Security.
