On Sunday, January 11, 2026, the grassroots group Door-to-Door Democracy, in partnership with the Mount Olive Democrats, hosted its first candidate forum for the 2026 midterm election season. Held at the Mount Olive Municipal Building in Flanders, NJ, the event provided a standing-room-only crowd with the meaningful opportunity to hear directly from the candidates competing to represent New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District in June’s Democratic primary.

The forum featured seven out of the nine declared Democratic primary candidates for the district, giving each participant an equal opportunity to present their platform and respond to questions in front of a live audience. Candidates discussed their visions for tackling key issues, including healthcare affordability, civil and reproductive rights, economic opportunity, and strengthening democracy.

Video of the forum can be found here.

“Door-to-Door Democracy was part of the seminal effort two years ago to democratize candidate selection, putting these decisions more squarely in the hands of New Jersey voters,” said Leslie Huhn, Chair, Door-to-Door Democracy. “We are now committed to empowering voters with the information they need to make good choices at the ballot box.”

Leslie Huhn, Chair, Door-to-Door Democracy

 “This forum brought a strong and diverse field of Democratic contenders together to answer questions of interest to CD-7 voters — reinforcing our core mission to strengthen democratic engagement at the grassroots level,” said Leslie Boen, Chief Communications Officer, Door-to-Door Democracy. 

As a battleground seat that Democrats aim to flip from Republican control, the 7th Congressional District has attracted significant attention from voters, activists, and political organizations across the state and country. The district elected Republican Tom Kean, Jr. by a margin of just over five points in November 2024, but Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mikie Sherrill won this same district by one point twelve months later – a swing of six percentage points.

About Door-to-Door Democracy
Founded in 2024, Door-to-Door Democracy is dedicated to engaging and educating voters across northern New Jersey, especially in the underrepresented areas of northwestern New Jersey, to ensure all voices are heard in the democratic process. The group collaborates with local partners to sponsor events, citizen actions, educational forums, and candidate discussions — all carefully designed to encourage civic participation and informed voting. More information about the organization can be found here.

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