Democrat Donald Norcross has not debated an opponent in a decade, the longest among New Jersey congressional incumbents

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Of U.S. congressional incumbents in South Jersey, only one is scheduled to debate their opponent this year: Republican Jeff Van Drew of the 2nd District. Democratic incumbents Donald Norcross and Herb Conaway are opting to skip the debate stage.

Norcross has not been on the debate stage in a decade

For Norcross, none of this is new. Four past Republican opponents in New Jersey’s 1st Congressional District — Garry W. Cobb, Paul Dilks, Claire Gustafson and Teddy Liddell —  lost their respective races against him without an opportunity to debate.

According to research by WHYY News, it has been a decade since Norcross debated any opponent. His last known debate was at a May 31, 2016 forum sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey. According to an account from the Observer, Norcross debated his Democratic primary challenger Alex Law and his Republican challenger Bob Patterson, who ran unopposed.

Norcross’ current Republican challenger, Damon Galdo, has tried everything to get his opponent to the debate stage for at least three months, including hand-delivered and certified letters, reaching out through social media and getting Norcross’ attention at a music festival with a cardboard cutout of the congressman.

“I pinned him to a tree and I had him hold two of my lawn signs saying, ‘Vote for Damon Galdo for Congress,’” Galdo said, referring to the cutout. “He laughed at it. I’ll give him that.”

According to Galdo, Norcross said a debate would happen only if the T-shirt Galdo was wearing had a union label.

Galdo pressed Norcross again for a debate at a town hall at Haddon Township High School in September.

“He said, ‘That’s a political issue, a political issue is not the time and place for that question,’” Galdo recalled. “And I said, ‘When is the time and place? It’s a town hall.’”

Norcross said he didn’t answer the question because it was a “governmental” forum and that he has held town halls monthly.

“For somebody that has only a message of Donald Trump, all he wants to do is try to make publicity and that’s fine,” Norcross said, referring to Galdo. “I get his politics with the Trump administration. I’m here to try to help the people.”

When asked if he would be open to debating Galdo on the issues, Norcross said, “I hold the debate on the issues every day.”

Galdo ultimately took on the cardboard cutout of his opponent when couldn’t get the flesh-and-blood Norcross to debate him.

Conaway ‘has no plans’ to debate McGuire

Michael P. McGuire, the Republican nominee in the 3rd District, has also been trying to get his opponent to debate. He is challenging Democratic incumbent Herb Conaway, who is making his first re-election bid.

“As soon as I secured the nomination back in June, the day after election day, I put a public challenge out on social media, tagged his social media page, heard nothing,” McGuire said, adding that his campaign also sent formal correspondence, press releases and engaged other organizations, including the League of Women Voters.

McGuire took his case directly to the congressman during a town hall in Willingboro on Aug 13. In the video, McGuire introduced himself as a constituent.

“I have one simple question for you: Why won’t you debate me?” McGuire said.

Conaway asked McGuire to clarify who he is to the crowd.

“I am Michael McGuire, the Republican nominee for congress,” McGuire said. ““I guess my question is that people in Burlington, Monmouth and Mercer counties should feel free to hear from both of us.”

McGuire would go on to reference debate challenges that Republican incumbent Rep. Tom Kean Jr. and Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Cory Booker accepted from their opponents. The crowd started to drown out McGuire as he spoke of his public service career in the U.S. Marines and the New York City Police Department. One woman appeared to move McGuire away from the microphone.

Ultimately, Conaway declined McGuire’s challenge.

“I have no plans to debate you,” Conaway said.

McGuire told WHYY News that it is frustrating to not get a chance to discuss campaign issues with Conaway, adding that it should be frustrating for voters, as well.

“He clearly stated that he doesn’t want to debate me because he doesn’t want to elevate me,” McGuire said. “I consider any debate in the country … as a job interview.”

In declining to debate McGuire, Conaway said, in a statement, that to do so would only allow  McGuire to promote “a platform that, in my view, is neither grounded in sound policy nor guided by basic morality.”

“Every campaign is different, and I believe the most important thing is ensuring voters understand where I stand on the issues that matter most to them,” Conaway said.

Conaway’s failure to debate is a break from his predecessor, current U.S. Sen. Andy Kim, who has participated in debates organized by the League of Women Voters of Burlington County.

Nearly half of New Jersey congressional delegation has debated in 2026

Only five congressional districts in the Garden State have seen debates take place during the 2026 midterm election season.

Republican incumbent Jeff Van Drew and Democrat Zack Mullock are scheduled to debate at Stockton University on Oct. 22 for the 2nd District seat. Democratic incumbent Analilia Mejia will face Republican Joe Hathaway and independent candidate Alan Bond on Oct. 26 at Saint Elizabeth University in Morristown in the 11th Congressional District.

In the 7th Congressional District, Republican incumbent Tom Kean Jr. and Democratic challenger Rebecca Bennett held their first and only debate in late September.

Democratic incumbent Rob Menendez, in the 8th District, is not facing a Republican challenger. He participated in a debate for the Democratic primary earlier this year. He faces challenges from independent candidates Aristotle Eliopoulos and Da’Shone Hughey and Craig Honts of the Socialist Workers Party.

Candidates in the 12th District — Democrat Adam Hamawy, Republican Gregg Mele, Green Party candidate Andres Jinete and independent candidate Winston Jordan — participated in a forum organized by the Greater Princeton–area chapter of the League of Women Voters in September. It is the only open congressional seat in the state as a result of incumbent  Democrat Bonnie Watson Coleman choosing not to run for re-election.

Across the country, candidates are skipping debates

It is not just New Jersey candidates skipping the debate stage, according to Micah Rasmussen, director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University.

“Debates are always high-risk situations because they’re unscripted,” he said. “You don’t know where your opponent can really fire a zinger across the bow or where you might get a tough question that you flub or you don’t know how to answer.”

In Colorado’s 8th Congressional District, for example, both Republican incumbent Gabe Evans and Democratic challenger Manny Rutinel declined a debate invitation from KUSA-TV. The station opted to hear from voters in the district.

Rasmussen said candidates are opting to use advertising and paid communication to control their message. But he hopes organizations and voters will continue to seek organizing debates, adding that they still matter. Through the Rebovich Institute, he has organized several debates, including the one between Kean and Bennett.

“In the digital age, debates are very relevant because people can watch them at their own pace, at their own leisure,” Rasmussen said. “When they’re ready, they don’t have to watch them live.”