Debate for United States Senate seat co-hosted by Rider

By Andi Arroyo

On Oct. 8, a senate debate between Democratic incumbent Cory Booker and Republican Justin Murphy was held at Rider. The debate was the first and only debate in the race for U.S. Senate seat in New Jersey.

Rider and the New Jersey Globe co-hosted the debate, which promptly started at 7 p.m. in the Bart Luedeke Center Theater. Members of the Rider community volunteered at the debate, helping behind the scenes and escorting candidates, press and viewers. 

Micah Rasmussen, the director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics and David Wildstein, the editor-in-chief of the New Jersey Globe, put together the debate to be held in the BLC Theater.

Rasmussen and Wildstein moderated a 60-minute, in-person debate, during which they asked each candidate questions on key political issues.

Affordability and the economy

The debate’s opening question asked both candidates about President Donald Trump’s promise to make life more affordable, and if anything has been done to make New Jersey more affordable.

Wildstein asked, “What would you say directly to Donald Trump about his promise to make life more affordable, and have any of his decisions made New Jersey more affordable?”

The question was first addressed to Booker, who has historically had clashes with the Trump Administration.

“The president has lied, and I’ve said that over and over again. He promised he wouldn’t get us in foreign wars. We’re in a form of war right now with no strategy in an unconstitutional manner. He said that he would bring down costs. Costs across the board have gone up, as I said, between four and $5,000 for the average family. But for other families, they’ve seen their health care costs go up and skyrocket. For those of small businesses that rely on the cost being down of fuel, they’re paying higher and higher prices,” Booker said. “President Trump has not kept his price promises, and that’s why his approval rating is in the trash here.”

Murphy argued that prices are going down and Americans are seeing lower prices than before. 

“On affordability, it was not too long ago that you paid $5 for a gallon of gasoline in 2022. Today, that’s almost a dollar cheaper and falling. Joe Biden gave us 8% interest rates, choking off the home ownership dreams of our young people,” Murphy said. “We have the lowest child poverty rate in American history, and folks, you don’t do that if you’re inept and clueless. We have policies that are working. The manufacturing resurgence, all of these statistics, it’s someone’s middle class dream, someone’s American dream.”

The Trump administration and war in the Middle East 

Wildstein asked, addressing the question first to Booker, “Let’s imagine that Donald Trump calls you late one night, and says, ‘Booker, I’ll let you decide what you want to do with the war on Iran. I’ll do anything you tell me to do,’ what do you tell him?”

Booker disagreed with the premise of the question, criticizing the president on how he is handling the conflict. 

“When it comes to foreign policy, take every one of the leaders in his foreign policy circles in his first administration. General McMaster, General Kelly, you can go through all the people who served with him and warned us as Americans, do not put this man back in charge,” Booker said. “Disastrous things that are going to hurt our natural interests will happen. And guess what it did? He invaded Iran. And now he’s stuck in another Middle East quagmire, costing us all.”

An extra 30-second statement was given to the candidates as an opportunity to add to their response.

Booker added, “8 trillion dollars spent in foreign wars in the Middle East and none of them have ended well. We do not need Yahoo policy. We need sound people that use military force as a last resort. Who know the power of diplomacy, who don’t insult her enemies and threaten to invade Canada and Greenland, but pull our allies together to pull our allies together like NATO and stand up.”

Murphy claims he would advise Trump to “finish” the war decisively. 

“This is not a war of choice, folks,” Murphy said. “They were developing ballistic missiles and delivery systems for nuclear weapons. They were enriching uranium far past anything needed for civilian or medical uses. They are a problem. We have to deal with it. It’s uncomfortable. Nobody wants peace more than the people in the military, and I guarantee you no president wants to wrangle and wrestle with a foreign policy issue that hurts him politically.”

Debate highlights

Booker and Murphy were asked a multitude of questions addressing political issues in the United States and globally.

Some of the questions asked were centered around foreign policy, sanctuary policies and ethnic laws. 

Throughout the debate, multiple times the audience cheered and laughed at the candidates’ answers. During the conversation on sanctuary policy, a woman who claimed to be on the ballot in the crowd interrupted the debate after Booker’s response. She was escorted out by security and the debate continued. 

Rider’s role

Rider’s involvement in the debate was an opportunity for the Rider community to engage in the political process by observing and participating.

Rasmussen was one of the two moderators of the debate, as he emphasizes the importance of campus discussion and for students who are involved in political science to get learning experience beyond voter education. 

“College campuses should be a place where ideas are exchanged, there should be places where discussions are taking place,” Rasmussen said. “There should be places where the rest of the voting public knows that there will be a vibrant, engaging, vital discussion that happens here on the campus that might not happen if it was just in a hotel conference room.”

Students’ active participation

Rider students had the opportunity to get involved in the action of the debate. Political science students were given the responsibilities as press guides, candidate guides, ushers and any other role needed to run the event. 

Zineb Hassani, a sophomore political science major, was one of the student volunteers at the debate as an usher. Her experience from volunteering has emphasized the importance of getting involved and how involvement affects her understanding of the political process.

“I think it’s super important if [students] want to just have a basic understanding of their politics. You never understand how much it affects you until you’re actively in the moment,” Hassani said. “[Volunteering] is just a great way to make connections and really see what your future holds.”

Students in in the Department of Communication, Journalism and Media were offered opportunities to get involved, as well, running every production aspect of the debate’s live stream. 

A word from the candidates 

The debate held on Rider’s campus offered an opportunity for students to experience a live, in-person debate.

When both candidates were asked what they would say to students becoming or wanting to stay informed and involved in politics, both responded with how it impacts everyday life. 

“From the ability to buy a home or the costs of college, so much is affected by who’s leading at the local, state and federal level,” Booker said. “So make sure you’re part of this democracy that we have, or else people are gonna make decisions about you that you don’t necessarily agree with.”

Murphy said that, in America, most people are “sitting home, not voting.”

Murphy said, “We’re a representative form of government, you need to participate. You have a voice that needs to be heard. Stay motivated, do good and always be involved for the right reasons.”