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The campaign of Gen Z former Biden White House official Jay Vaingankar announced that he has officially qualified for the April 26 Democratic primary debate for New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District, securing a place on stage in a competitive field of 13 candidates.
Vaingankar is among five candidates who have met the debate’s qualification criteria, which include raising at least $250,000 or securing endorsements from elected leaders across the district. According to a statement from his campaign, several long-time elected officials and establishment candidates have not qualified.
“This campaign has always been about making our voices heard through organizing on the ground,” said Vaingankar. “We’re proud to have made the debate stage because of the voters backing us across NJ-12 who want a new generation of leadership focused on lowering costs, achieving universal health care, and putting an end to forever wars.”
The debate, hosted by the New Jersey Globe, will take place on April 26 at 7:00 p.m. at Rider University. It will air nationally on C-SPAN, with a livestream available online.
Since launching in December, Vaingankar’s campaign has positioned itself as a leading contender in the race. The campaign has raised more than $260,000 to date and secured endorsements from leaders including former U.S. Energy Secretary and Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm, as well as support from organizations such as the Indian American Impact Fund and AAPI Victory Fund.
The campaign has also drawn national attention after confronting MAGA-aligned figures, including Laura Loomer, who, according to the campaign, launched racist attacks in response to Vaingankar’s outreach to Hindi- and Spanish-speaking communities across the district.
“This is an important opportunity for voters to hear directly from the candidates,” Vaingankar added. “Several career politicians in this race have skipped candidate forums to avoid answering tough questions about their records, including their ties to AIPAC and corporate PAC money. At the same time, we’ve been taking on MAGA extremists like Laura Loomer and refusing to back down – and that’s exactly the kind of fight we’ll bring to Congress to represent the diverse communities of NJ-12.”
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