Jim Walsh

@jimwalsh_cp

DEPTFORD - Sponsors called off a planned debate Thursday night for congressional hopefuls in South Jersey's 1st District.

In a statement late Wednesday night, the Gloucester County NAACP alleged an attempt by Democratic challenger Alex Law "to hijack the debate by engaging in campaign charades."

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The civil-rights group said it had made the decision with the Camden East NAACP, the Jewish Community Relations Council of Southern New Jersey and the League of Women Voters of East Windsor-Hightstown. The groups were to present the debate at the Deptford campus of Rowan College at Gloucester County.

The debate was to be the second face-off between Rep. Donald Norcross, D-Camden, and Law, 25, of Collingswood, ahead of the June 7 primary. The two had debated Tuesday before a Voorhees gathering of the Chamber of Commerce of Southern New Jersey. Republican candidate Robert Patterson of Haddonfield also participated in Tuesday's event.

In its statement, the Gloucester County NAACP asserted the Law campaign "repeatedly demonstrated that they are more interested in tearing down" the chapter's president, Loretta Winters. Law rejected that view.

In scrubbing the debate, the NAACP's statement said Winters had seen "a barrage of bullying, harassment and intimidation from Mr. Law and his campaign."

"She has received several nasty comments from Mr. Law’s most recent online Facebook posts and in her personal text messages," it added.

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A post on Law's Facebook page Wednesday afternoon pointed supporters to a planned livestream of the debate, saying it was the only way for people to see it. "Loretta Winters of the Gloucester County NAACP insisted on a tiny venue with no tickets available to the public," the post noted.

Comments by apparent Law supporters following his post furthered accusations against Winters, with one person calling her "cowardly and disgraceful."

Law responded to the cancellation with a Facebook post of more than 1,500 words, saying he "factually repeated the decisions (Winters) has made for the venue to be tiny and for there to be no tickets available to the public."

"To be very clear, I did not make a single personal attack against her," said Law, asserting Winters "is allowing her own vanity (to) come before what the people of the first district deserve."

He said Winters, "not the NAACP, but her personally, did her very best to (sabotage) this debate from day one. … In my opinion, she has allowed her personal friendship with Donald Norcross to cloud her duty to her organization and to this community."

In a statement Thursday morning, the Norcross campaign said the incumbent "is disappointed that today's event has been canceled as he enjoyed the previous meetings he had with his challengers. Under the circumstances, he respects the decision."

Jim Walsh; (856) 486-2646; jwalsh@gannettnj.com