31 Years In Office, New Brunswick Mayor Cahill Will Not Debate Rivals

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — On Nov. 8, there will be a New Brunswick mayoral election, and the League of Women Voters and the NAACP are holding a candidate forum this Sunday, Oct. 9.

However, longtime New Brunswick Mayor James Cahill, who has been in office since 1991, will not be participating. A spokesman for the city told the Home News Tribune that Cahill has a scheduling conflict that night and will submit a written statement instead.

The two other candidates, Charlie Kratovil (independent) and Maria Powell (Republican) will both attend the virtual forum, where voters can submit questions beforehand.

Cahill, a Democrat, has been New Brunswick's mayor for the past 31 years. He hasn't attended a mayoral debate for several years.

On Wednesday, Kratovil blasted Cahill's absence and said he is taking voters for granted.

“Forums and debates are an excellent opportunity for the candidates to express their ideas and answer tough questions about the issues facing the city, like the out-of-control violent crime and the rising cost of housing,” he said. “By refusing to participate in this public forum, the mayor is disrespecting the voters of New Brunswick.”

Both Kratovil, who is very liberal, and Powell, a Republican, said New Brunswick's exploding crime problem is their top concern. Even the city addressed the rise in New Brunswick shootings, saying in this statement it's due to a backlog in criminal court cases.

Kratovil is a reporter who runs the news site New Brunswick Today; he is a Bernie Sanders supporter and ran for New Brunswick mayor in the past and lost. Powell is a small-business owner and says she is the first Hispanic woman to run for New Brunswick mayor. This is her first time running.

How to watch the New Brunswick mayoral forum:

The forum will be held at 7 p.m. on Sunday, October 9.

The forum itself will be private. League of Women Voter members and NAACP members who live in New Brunswick have submitted questions that will be asked. You can submit your own questions to newbrunswickmayorforumquestions@yahoo.com

Starting the day after the forum, October 10, and continuing through Election Day, you can find the forum https://lwvgnba.com and click on the link there.