NJ-11 Candidates Sherrill, Webber To Debate Before Nov. Election

MORRISTOWN, NJ — Voters will have the chance to see the two candidates for New Jersey's 11th congressional district spar face to face in three scheduled debates this October.

Republican Jay Webber and Democrat Mikie Sherrill have agreed to three debates, held over three consecutive nights about a month before the November election. The two are running for the seat being vacated by longtime Republican Representative Rodney Frelinghuysen, who has represented the district for over two decades.

The pair will debate three times, three nights in a row in October, with two being televised:

• October 9: Ogdensburg Historical Society Candidate Night
• October 10: NJTV NJ-11 Televised Candidate Debate
• October 11: League of Women Voters, Wayne Televised Candidate Debate

The Libertarian candidate, Ryan Martinez, will also be participating at the Oct. 9 and Oct. 11 debates.

“This campaign is about bringing new leadership to Congress,” said Mikie Sherrill. “Our families deserve a Representative who is focused on improving their quality of life and New Jersey’s economy. I look forward to the opportunity to debate Assemblyman Webber and to share my vision of a bright future for our families.”

A spokesperson for Webber blasted Sherrill's press release announcing the debates, saying it came after months of her ducking debate requests.

"Long before Mikie’s release, Jay agreed to three debates. Add to that, we've accepted or proposed three additional debates Sherrill has ducked. Mikie Sherrill has spent the better part of two years pandering to the most liberal part of the Democrat base. She ducked a joint appearance on Chasing News over the summer and she didn’t respond to an invitation to debate immigration issues after she organized a rally where the abolition of ICE was called for," Ronica Cleary, a campaign spokesperson, said, saying Webber was looking forward to the debates.

The two had previously argued through dueling press releases over their support of ICE. Both Sherrill and Webber said they supported ICE and would be tough on crime if elected, while accusing the other of not being tough enough.

• Read More: Sherrill, Webber Say They Support ICE, Will Be Tough On Crime
• Read More: 5 Questions With Your 11th District Candidates, Webber & Sherrill

NJ-11 has long been considered a solidly Republican district, and Frelinghuysen did not face serious challengers during his time in office, so much so that in 2000 Michael Moore led a campaign to run a ficus plant as a write-in challenger (yes, really). Trump carried the district in 2016, but with less than 50 percent of the vote, and Frelinghuysen would have faced a steeper-than-usual fight for reelection had he not announced his retirement.

That Republican security could change this election, the Cook Political Report thinks. The non-partisan group is now considering the race to "lean Democratic," one of two New Jersey districts they're predicting will flip from Republican to Democrat this November (the other being NJ-02).

Here are the towns in New Jersey's 11th congressional district:

Morris County: Boonton Town, Boonton Township, Butler, Chatham Borough, Chatham Township, Denville, East Hanover, Florham Park, Hanover, Harding, Jefferson, Kinnelon, Lincoln Park, Madison, Mendham Borough, Mendham Township, Montville, Morris Plains, Morris Township, Morristown Town, Mountain Lakes, Parsippany-Troy Hills, Pequannock, Randolph, Riverdale, Rockaway Borough, Rockaway Township and Victory Gardens

Essex County: Bloomfield (split with 10th), Caldwell, Cedar Grove, Essex Fells, Fairfield, Livingston, Montclair (split with 10th), North Caldwell, Nutley, Roseland, Verona, West Caldwell, West Orange (split with 10th)

Passaic County: Bloomingdale, Little Falls, North Haledon, Pompton Lakes, Totowa, Wanaque, Wayne and Woodland Park

Sussex County: Byram, Hopatcong, Ogdensburg, Sparta and Stanhope

Images via the campaigns