Voters across southern New Jersey will have the opportunity to evaluate their options for federal representation next month when incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew faces off against Democratic challenger Zack Mullock in a televised debate. The matchup between the two candidates will place the future of New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District at the center of regional political discourse as the campaign season intensifies.
The scheduled forum is set to take place on October 22 at 6 p.m. on the Galloway campus of Stockton University. Hosted inside the university's Campus Center Theatre, the broadcast will feature a sixty-minute exchange of platforms, policies, and contrasting visions for South Jersey, offering constituents an in-depth look at both candidates side by side.
The event is organized through a joint civic partnership between the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University and The Press of Atlantic City. By collaborating on the program, the academic institution and the local news organization aim to provide an informative and balanced discussion focusing on the legislative priorities and economic issues affecting the sprawling district.
To maintain a structured environment and focus entirely on the candidates' dialogue, organizers have arranged the debate to proceed without a live audience in the theatre. Instead, the entire one-hour forum will be livestreamed across multiple digital outlets, including the official YouTube channel of the Hughes Center as well as the main website of The Press of Atlantic City, ensuring broad public accessibility.
Constituents throughout the region are also being encouraged to play an active role in shaping the debate's agenda by submitting candidate questions in advance. The public can send prospective inquiries by email to either the Hughes Center at hughescenter@stockton.edu or to The Press of Atlantic City at newstips@pressofac.com, using the designated subject line "CD2 Questions."
The debate moderation and questioning will be handled by a two-member panel of regional experts. Nicholas Huba, digital editor for The Press of Atlantic City, will join Alyssa Maurice, the assistant director of the William J. Hughes Center, to pose questions addressing the key challenges and governing philosophies central to the district.
Incumbent lawmaker Jeff Van Drew enters the debate with several years of federal legislative experience, having served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2019. Over the course of his congressional tenure, Van Drew has established a high-profile presence in South Jersey politics, navigating shifts in Washington while representing his constituents across the district.
Van Drew’s political trajectory includes a notable partisan realignment during his time in Congress. Originally elected to the House of Representatives as a Democrat, he formally switched his party affiliation to become a Republican in January 2020, a transition that reshaped political dynamics across the southern tier of the state.
Prior to his tenure in federal office, Van Drew built an extensive record in local and county governance. In private life a practicing dentist, he previously served the public as the mayor of Dennis Township and spent years as an elected member of the Cape May County Board of Chosen Freeholders before transitioning to higher office.
Democratic challenger Zack Mullock enters the race with significant executive experience in municipal government. Mullock currently serves as the mayor of the City of Cape May, where he is now in his second term leading the seaside resort municipality after earlier serving the community as an elected member of the city council.
Mullock’s municipal leadership background provides the foundation for his congressional bid, presenting district voters with a municipal executive's perspective on coastal preservation, local governance, and regional advocacy. His candidacy aims to offer a direct alternative to the incumbent’s federal platform.
The debate arrives against the backdrop of a vast and geographically varied congressional map. New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District encompasses the entirely of Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, and Salem counties, while also incorporating designated sections of both Gloucester and Ocean counties.
This sweeping geographic footprint spans an array of diverse constituent communities, stretching from the coastal tourism corridors along the Atlantic shore to the agricultural heartlands and residential suburban neighborhoods further inland. Addressing the distinct economic and infrastructural demands of these varied counties will be a primary focus for both candidates.
With the election approaching, the October 22 debate serves as a pivotal forum for both Van Drew and Mullock to articulate their solutions for the district. Through the collaborative broadcast, voters throughout South Jersey will gain vital insight into how each candidate intends to steer the region over the coming term.
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