​​Democrats in LD2 tonight charged their Republican ​opponents with bailing on a debate at the Civic Association  of Atlantic City. ​Assemblyman​ ​Chris​ ​Brown​ ​(R-2) and​ ​his​ ​running​ ​mates​ ​Brenda​ ​Taube​ ​and Vince​ ​Sera​ ​​confirmed ​their​ ​attendance​ ​and​ barely​ gave notice​ ​for​ pulling the plug.

“Despite​ ​this​ ​debate​ ​being​ ​scheduled​ ​for​ ​a​ ​month,​ ​Brown​ ​and​ ​his​ ​Republican​ ​running mates​ ​have​ ​cut​ ​and​ ​run,”​​ ​said​ ​Colston​ ​Reid,​ ​campaign​ ​manager​ ​for​ ​the​ ​Bell,​ ​Mazzeo,​ ​Armato team.​ ​​“I​ ​guess​ ​it​ ​shouldn’t​ ​be​ ​a​ ​surprise​ ​given​ ​how​ ​hard​ ​Chris​ ​Brown​ ​tried​ ​to​ ​dodge debates​ ​at​ ​the​ ​beginning​ ​of​ ​this​ ​campaign​ ​or​ ​given​ ​the​ ​terrible​ ​track​ ​record​ ​the​ ​three Republicans​ ​would​ ​have​ ​to​ ​defend​ ​on​ ​stage.”

Senator​ ​Colin​ ​Bell,​ ​Assemblyman​ ​Vince​ ​Mazzeo,​ ​and​ ​John​ ​Armato​ ​chose​ ​to​ ​stay​ ​and participate​ ​in​ ​a​ ​hastily​ ​modified​ ​forum, Reid said.​ ​Unfortunately​ ​they​ ​were​ ​only​ ​joined​ ​by​ ​Chris​ ​Brown campaign​ ​operatives​ ​who​ ​attempted​ ​to​ ​film​ ​Senator​ ​Bell,​ “​despite​ ​their​ ​candidate’s​ ​fear​ ​of attending,” the operative said.

“If​ ​Chris​ ​Brown​ ​is​ ​too​ ​chicken​ ​to​ ​explain​ ​his​ ​Trenton​ ​record​ ​to​ ​Atlantic​ ​County​ ​voters, we’ll​ ​do​ ​it​ ​for​ ​him.​ ​It’s​ ​not​ ​like​ ​we​ ​would​ ​have​ ​heard​ ​the​ ​truth​ ​from​ ​Brown​ ​tonight, anyways,”​ ​​said​ ​Reid.​ ​​“Brown​ ​voted​ ​against​ ​women’s​ ​healthcare,​ ​against​ ​property​ ​tax relief​ ​for​ ​middle-class​ ​families,​ ​against​ ​equal​ ​pay,​ ​for​ ​the​ ​gas​ ​tax,​ ​and​ ​with​ ​Chris​ ​Christie 90%​ ​of​ ​the​ ​time.”