Leading Democratic Candidates running to replace outgoing democratic congressman andy kim to represent new jerseys third congressional district. Hosted by the new jersey globe. The candidates share their views on universal health care, free speech, and College Campuses, and how their political values compare with representative kim. The states primary is scheduled to be held in early june. Herb conaway will go second and joe, well go third. We have gone over the rules i want to keep in mind our timeline to cover as many topics as possible. We will dive into Opening Statements and i could tell that miss murphy was scheduled to go first, so we will come back to her and go to our second person who is standing by for his opening statement. You have 90 seconds. Thanks to this body for giving us this opportunity. I was born and raised in maryland county. We went on to the Public School and then off to princeton, then down to philadelphia to go to medical school at jefferson medical college. I was a captain at Mcguire Air Force in a medical corps on the base. After that i went to residency in internal medicine and was fortunate enough to be elected to the General Assembly. I have been leadership for most of that time. I have taken on the big task here in new jersey. I have a Funding Program for middleclass districts. I brought obamacare to new jersey. This election is probably the most important, the first time we have a major candidate major Party Candidate who said he will be a dictator of and go after public institutions. We have seen womens rights under attack in this country, i have been fighting for reproductive freedom, i am a practicing physician. I know what happens in the exam room, the tough decisions. I have talked to women about reproductive rights and health care. Politicians have no business being of the examination room. I asked for your consideration. This is a historic time that i will be the first black person elected on the first africanamerican to represent south jersey. I look forward to your questions. Thank you for the forum. Our next candidate while we still work on those technical issues for miss murphy. I am not a politician, im a civil rights attorney. Living in southern new jersey for the last 16 years in a small farm for the last 10, i have advocated for civil rights. During my 20 years as a lawyer for the aids law project, the aclu and the foundation for individual rights, i have one on issues that matter to democrats. Legislators that are blue, purple and dark red. Last year i led a Successful Campaign against a desantis to back bill in florida that wouldve rolled back rights. Congress needs people with mice or whites s my civil rights background. We cannot afford to let the polarization continue because it, and a certain former president placed our democracy in danger. Are a Civil Liberties, like the right to choose, on the chopping block. We must restore faith in government. It starts by having a congress leaves are focused on solving our problems rather than waging culture wars to drive us apart. Ensuring all americans have Quality Health care, saving Social Security, getting the wealthiest to pay their fair share to fund universal prek, addressing the border, fighting Climate Change and reestablishing a federal right to reproductive freedom. I want to thank tonights sponsors for moderating in my opponents were sharing the stage. We hope to earn your vote on june 4. Carol murphy, we have our technical issues ironed out, over to you. [applause] thank you and good evening. [indiscernible] we are still having technical issues with carol murphy, what we will do is jump to our panelists for their questions. Once we work that out we will make sure she gets her time. David, you are first, you have a question . You are seeking to replace andy kim as the u. S. House of representatives from the Third District of new jersey. What positions have you taken or he has taken that you would seem to emulate as the successor and are there any votes he has castro positions he has taken where you dont share that view and we do something differently . Thank you for that question. Andy kim has big shoes to fill because he has been a fantastic representative for us here in the third congressional district. What i share most in common with him is our shared commitment to trying to deal do everything we can to build bipartisan support. I admire him a tremendous, great deal. I thought he did the right thing in voting to approve the aid to taiwan, israel and ukraine while casting the no vote to ban tiktok. I share the same voting record on that. I dont know where he would stand on other civil liberty issues that i would advance. Im a proponent of criminal justice reform. In free speech protection. Thank you for the question. Dr. Conway, 45 seconds for your response. Dr. Conway andy kim has been my representative now for almost six years. I voted for him every time and campaign for him. There is work to do, and doing the work for people here in the seventh district. I support him. You many people at the phone. I think he has been doing a fantastic job. His constituent service has been fantastic. I cant think of anything off the top of my head with which i disagree except maybe on the tiktok vote. I listen to a program just recently and i think there is a very well taken concern about chinas involvement in tiktok. I want to keep tiktok in in china out. Do we have carol murphy . Did you hear the question . Do you want me to repeat it, or shall i . What issues has he taken that you would like to continue if you are his successor in are there any votes you have taken since joining congress that you wouldve voted differently . I would like to say it would be an honor to replace andy kim in congress and work with him as he moves to the senate. The antisemitic bill, i would have voted for that bill. I would have continued moving forward and worked with our congressional delegation to make sure to see that through. One thing i do agree on is the fact we have to sell tiktok and bennett from the u. S. China should sell that. We have to protect our children and we have to continue with andy kim. He was an advocate on reproductive rights. That is one thing we will continue working together on. Michael, you have a question for dr. Conway. You are a doctor and physician. What is your position on sponsoring universal health care in the house, and what do we need to do as far as the National Policy on nursing staff levels and issues we are having . Dr. Conway universal health care means, as you put it, a single plate singlepayer health plan, then i dont agree. I dont think they are here for a government run assistant. Every time the government runs into an issue, they cut health care. We are dealing with medicare cuts now. Now you want the federal government to control the entire health care system. I dont think the people want that and i dont support that. I have done that here in new jersey and i am the sponsor and volunteer in new jersey and expanding Health Care Access and improving Health Care Status of our citizens, im all for that. Im for allowing the insurance to buy down medicare. In all of the other state revisions that go to expanding Health Access helping with that in the federal level. Next response goes to miss murphy. I want to say that health care is a human right, it is not a privilege, its a human right. In protecting medicare and moving towards universal health care is extremely important. Not only for me, but for those in new jersey. And i strongly stand with my to protect nurses and patients and doctors and hospitals to assure we have a balanced staff that will be able to provide access to health care. Our next response. First, i think its important to get as many people insured as we can. It should not be determined by ones wealth. I would make sure that medicare was an option available to all. Not the only option, but i would eliminate the age restriction so anyone could choose to tv on medicare. We need to make sure we control the cost of Prescription Drugs. We need to have a formula for when we have a drug on the list for something that could be negotiated for price. With respect to nursing levels, i think we need to provide continue to provide for those who go into nursing and we need to do everything that we can to encourage better wages for those going into the nursing profession because whether its nursing or longterm care, we have a problem when we cant attract people to those jobs. Our next question comes from micah, your question is going to murphy. You keep an active you keep an active legislative agenda. What is the appeal of joining a body that members are retiring from from in droves and frustration . Why do you think you can better serve the district in the region in the house then you can in the assembly . Thank you for that, micah. I do a very good job serving in the assembly, and i do think i do keep an active schedule. Thats what makes me proactive, thats what makes me effective, keep moving and keep involving, investing in what we do. Not only in legislation, but also in my constituency and the people of new jersey. Once we moving us forward is a huge responsibility. I can tell you i will bring the same tenacity, working to follow constituents to have a way to stay in new jersey. Host mr. Collins, your response . Mr. Collins really the reason i joined congress is people need to bring people together. We have a National Security threat. We need people with the skill set and termination determination to stop treating governance like an us versus them contest. I spent the last 20 years trying to bring people together to bring progress and even where republicans have the power, that is what we need is people who will navigate that situation. Host you have 45 seconds. I love my country. I want to serve. I served in the military and i have prepared to work with the nation. I have spoken to look for common ground. We have a great deal of commonality and people focusing on what is important for the american people, we want a congress that functions the way it should. I will take that same spirit to the congress. You are up next. I think any election looming over any election is the democratic powerbroker. Has mr. Norcross been a force for good . I do not know mr. Norcross, but we cannot have politics go through one person no matter who they are. We need a situation where voters alone determine who leaders are and that is why i was proud for the lawsuit to challenge. I invited my opponents to join me in a statement saying the race should be handled on an even level. And that is why we need to get back to the basics of the work that brings us together. Host carol murphy, you have 45 seconds. Mrs. Murphy i worked to support south jersey. I am independent from the democratic. It gives me the ability to be independent or my constituents, but im a member of the south jersey delegation. We worked to pass bills for everyone including pay equity, reproductive rights. Those are things we have done. [no audio] and i stand with ok, upper conaway, you have 45 seconds. Would you like me to repeat the question . Has George Norcross been a force for good south jersey . He is the head of a thriving business, a driving force behind Cooper University hospital, providing health care for the underserved. He has been a force for good and the answer is yes. Host we are going to go back to you now. Back to you now with a question for herb conaway. The south jersey democratic delegation passed a law. Something that past was a bill that hobbles the open public records act, so i will not ask if you oppose it, but should there be consequences for legislators who supported it . Candidate the voters are in the drivers seat and can decide, i will leave that to them. They took their votes based on the facts and i can only say for myself i listen to constituents and it was overwhelming that my constituents wanted a no vote. Anything can be reformed, this vehicle was not the reform they wanted so i will let the voters pass judgment which is their right. Hpst host joe, over to you. The voters will have their say and they will be unhappy with the members who vote to back the protections. You cannot have democracy functioning well without transparency and you do not get transparency when there are not accessible ways. The bill is a serious problem, voters are angry, there will be accountability. Its a shame, it did not have to be that way. Host carol murphy, 45 seconds to respond. Miss murphy while we have to protect our transparency, consequences we will see, not those who voted for the bill, they have a right to vote the way they feel is important and they feel that works. The consequence is not this bill, but other bills. Those will be the consequences. Not just because we vote yes or no, how does this bill stand up to the test of time . As a person who can tell you where the consequence will, is whether it works or not. Clean energy depends on mining essential materials. What restrictions should be placed on the supply chain for electric car batteries. In some cases they come from the congo or seabed mining. They can disrupt aquatic life and ecosystems. Absolutely. One of the things i take pride in his i have been a champion for clean energy, clean water and electric vehicles. Making sure offshore wind plays a part during this bad time of Climate Change which is a crisis in the u. S. You should never have child labor. We should never have that, nor ocean floor mining. We are able to accomplish what we need to do, offshore wind, clean water, clean air. It is a right for people to have and he should not have child labor. Host your response . Talking about restriction, i think this needs to be taken on a casebycase basis, batteries for cars will change the mix of materials we need and delivering a climate that is healthy. No one is for child labor. We need to respect Natural Resources. We are going to innovate our way to a clean and healthy economy for the world. It is an important responsibility and i will continue that leadership in congress. Collins, you have 45 seconds. Mr. Collins child labor and slave labor, we need to provide incentives for those using those labor sources to eliminate them. That might require paying higher prices until innovations are real. We have the responsibility to use the carrot to encourage conditions. We need Energy Policy that diversifies and uses as much clean energy as possible. I have developed a plan for solar panels on every suitable space and grants to pursue, making governments do the same. Host your next and then mr. Cohen. This is a question for farmer cohen. The farm bill is important in congress. How important is it to bolster what is left of agricultural heritage and how do you do that with Development Pressure . I live in a part that is a rural street only five minutes from a suburban area and 30 minutes away from philadelphia. We have to keep our open spaces open and preserve as much as possible. Fighting to make sure that the agricultural world is not left behind. It is true, my view is a bill worth fighting for because we cannot go back once we developed. Host next response goes to herb conaway. There is an agricultural space. I served 10 or 12 years and to preserve open space is critical and intensely popular areas, we have a great farming economy. If that means protecting access from overdevelopment, preserving open space, preserve the farm. In that case, we need to make sure they use every bit of the lands and maintain farms and make sure there is a pathway for families to take forms over. I recognize we are in a great place. Host ok. Carol murphy . 45 seconds. Ms. Murphy our Farming Community is important to our economy, a key part of our economy. To start expansion. Investment in farms protect our food supply. These are under the bill and that is why we have to remember if we dont have fresh fruit and vegetables we are not serving residents well and i will be a strong voice for farmers in burlington and mercer county. David, youre next in your question will go to herb conaway. Tiffs over the war in israel and gaza taking over College Campuses across the country and in new jersey. How can the First Amendment rights of students be balanced with academic concerns and reputational concerns of higher education. You mention those concerns. We live in a free country that says you have a right to free speech and protest. Organizing needs protection. There is a right of students to go to school in a safe environment free from the antisemitism, islamic phobia and hate speech across the country that was spurred by donald trump. What we have seen is when administrations understand where people are coming from, bill bradleys grandmother said do not look down on some when you do not understand. Administrations need to ease tensions and find a pathway to allow peaceful protest and to not allow the interference in access to students abilities. Host carol murphy, your next. Ms. Murphy part of the First Amendment right of free speech, protesters are using their voice for free speech. It should not be violent, we should not allow agitators on the campus to bring chaos and violence to the protesters. Everyone has a right to education whether they agree or not and there should be a way to live together when there are protests that are within our realm of nonviolent. Using our voice to get a message across, not just chaos and violence. My time is up. Host you are next. Mr. Cohen . I have dedicated my career fighting for the rights of students in faculty and let me make one thing clear, the First Amendment never protects violence in schools need to draw that line. Does not protect property destruction at all under the First Amendment. Administrators should allow as much speech as possible. Everyone has the right to go to School Without being discriminated against. There are instances where students occupied buildings they do not h