I’ve been accused of MANY things over the course of this website’s glorious 15-year history, Save Jerseyans, but “debate conspiracies” is a new one! So I think ex-Assemblywoman Betty Lou DeCroce for demonstrating that there’s always a first time for everything.
In case you missed it, my regular partner for GOP primary debate (David Wildstein of the NJ Globe) decided to answer Assemblyman Brian Bergen’s debate challenge to DeCroce by offering to host/moderate on May 31st; David invited me to join in, and I unsurprisingly said I was in.
DeCroce ultimately declined to participate.
But rather than simply say “no,” DeCroce ‘s campaign launched into a bizarre rant alleging a vast LD26 conspiracy between Bergen, this website, Jay Webber (Bergen’s running mate), and the NJ Globe. Click here if you want to check it out for shits and giggles, but fair warning: the dangerous level of crazy may make your head throb.
Of course, as David explained last week, DeCroce’s grand conspiracy is a figment of her imagination:
The New Jersey Globe and Save Jersey extended an invitation to both candidates on Monday evening, deciding that day to add the competitive primary to the debate calendar after signs that the race between Bergen and DeCroce, a former assemblywoman, was tightening. Two other candidates, incumbent Jay Webber and former Parsippany Councilman Rob Peluso, were not included as the contest appears to be between Bergen and DeCroce.
DeCroce’s spokesman, Thom Ammirato, suggested that “the objectivity of the two moderators of the debate is questionable” and incorrectly accused them of conspiring with Bergen and creating a corm that “has been rigged to favor” Bergen.
“The debate parameters were made without our campaign’s knowledge and with zero input from the DeCroce for Assembly team,” Ammirato stated.
But the format has been the SAME for every Save Jersey/NJ Globe debate this primary season (LD24 and LD4), so Mr. Ammirato’s excuse is about as credible as Phil Murphy’s reported Covid case numbers. We NEVER let the campaigns dictate or negotiate debate terms. Ever.
In reality, DeCroce doesn’t want to debate presumbly because she knows Bergen – the unofficial conservative bulldog of the State Assembly – would likely destroy her in a one-on-one forum. DeCroce’s campaign has attempted to advance the premise that Bergen gives speeches but doesn’t get things done, a tacit admission that her opponent is the superior communicator. Of course, if Bergen was actually useless to the party in practice, debating him one-on-one would’ve presented the perfect venue to make that case (note: this isn’t the first debate opportunity she’s skipped in recent weeks).
The show will nevertheless go on!
Bergen will join David and yours truly this Wednesday, May 31st at 9 PM for an “empty chair” debate unless DeCroce elects to trade her tinfoil hat for a microphone and take her case directly to the Republican voters of North Jersey. You can watch (whatever happens) LIVE online via any of the following platforms:
New Jersey Globe: https://newjerseyglobe.com/
Save Jersey: https://savejersey.com/
Facebook: https:/facebook.com/NewJerseyGlobe & https://facebook.com/SaveJerseyBlog
YouTube: https://youtube.com/NewJerseyGlobe & https://www.youtube.com/@SaveJerseyBlog
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheNJGlobe & https://twitter.com/SaveJersey
