Democrat Tom Malinowski, Republican Tom Kean Jr. square off in heated debate in N.J.'s 7th Congressional District race
CLARK, N.J. -- The midterm elections are less than a month away and the hottest New Jersey race is in the 7th Congressional District.
Republican Tom Kean Jr., a former state senator and the son of a popular governor, is challenging incumbent Democrat Tom Malinowski.
The two ran against each other in the last election, with Malinowski only winning by a very slim margin. The seat is crucial to Democrats who want to hold on to the House.
As CBS2's Christine Sloan reported, the two men faced off against each other Thursday in a heated debate.
"I have been in Congress four years, not 30 years," Malinowski said.
"You've been in Washington D.C. for 30 years and you never left," Kean said.
It was only the second time the two candidates had come face-to-face in a room to debate each other since 2020. All appeared cordial until Kean tried to paint his opponent as a Washington insider.
Malinowski fired back as the moderator tried to intervene.
"This is our last question, come on," the moderator said.
"This is silly. You've been in Trenton for 20 years. What the hell have you done about the cost of living in the state of New Jersey?" Malinowski said.
The two have been battling it out on the airways, too. Kean has been focusing on the economy, while Malinowski's focus has been on a woman's right to choose.
Sloan asked Kean his position on abortion.
"I am pro-choice. That's very clear," he said.
Kean, who has avoided the press, stopped to say his opponent has it wrong.
"I, like most New Jerseyans, support a woman's right to choose up until 20 weeks. Post 20 weeks, it is life, health, life of mother, rape, incest, for example," Kean said.
"Congressman, the senator said he is pro-choice. You continue to say he is not," Sloan said.
"He said he is not. He has said he is for a 20-week abortion ban," Malinowski said.
Kean then put the spotlight on inflation under a Democratic president.
"Right now, gas prices are on the way up and inflation is continuing to go higher," Kean said.
"The policies we supported in Washington D.C., that we voted on, brought the American economy back from what would have been a Great Depression," Malinowski said.
Malinowski claims the right wing of the Republican party will be in charge if Kean wins.
Kean also continues to accuse Malinowski in political flyers of breaking federal laws by hiding stock trades. Malinowski has blamed it on sloppy bookkeeping, saying he broke no laws.
The two will face off one more time before the election.