>> Funding for NJ Spotlight News, provided by -- The members of the New Jersey Education Association.

Making public schools great for every child.

And, RWJ Barnabas Health, let's be healthy together.

♪ RAVEN: Tonight on "NJ Spotlight News, " the first primary debate, leading to send them a good candidate Tammy Murphy and Andy Kim spur over who is most qualified for the job.

>> The battle lines are drawn to see how this memory will play itself out.

RAVEN: Also, Petterson joins calls for a cease-fire.

Mayor Sayegh and others are calling President Biden to support a permanent cease-fire in Gaza.

>> it has been 137 days of ongoing genocide.

Funding paid for and supported by our government.

RAVEN: Plus, bald Eagles are making a comeback.

A new report finds a growing population, as the Garden State continues as conservation efforts.

>> and it's a testament to the conservation efforts that have been ongoing for the last 40 years.

RAVEN: And if possible Speed Bump for the states process electric vehicle amended, as a new poll finds the state is divided.

>> New Jersey feels that the electric vehicles and it will definitely have a negative impact when it comes to financial issues.

Raven "NJSpotlightNews" begins right now.

♪ ♪ ANNOUNCER: from NJPBS Studios, this is "NJSpotlightNews" with Briana Vannozzi.

RAVEN: Good evening and thanks for joining me this Monday night, I am Raven Santana, in for Brianna Vannozzi.

It was a tense 90 minutes as first lady Tammy Murphy Congressman Andy Kim met to the first debate in the battle to secure the Democratic nomination place indebted senior Senator Bob Menendez.

The two candidates sparred over a number of topics including party loyalty student debt, health care, and foreign policy.

The debate was sponsored by the New Jersey Globe.

It comes as the race appears to be tightening.

Tammy Murphy surged ahead early on with a series of high-profile endorsements, but Andy Kim has been gaining ground, with a 12 point lead over Murphy in the first Head-to-head.

So far in the contest.

There isn't much daylight between the two candidates in the key issues, but as Senior correspondent Brenda Flanagan reports, they wasted no time challenging one another's credentials.

♪ Reporter: The top two candidates tangled without making any deadly gas or viral videos.

Congressman Andy Kim and first lady Tammy Murphy spent much of the 90 minute Facebook likely squaring each other over political procedures and past Republican connections, each agreement it is good for the other from properly representing Democrats in the U.S. Senate.

>> I worry about the record of the first lady.

Not only was she a registered Republican voting in a single public and primary through the Obama administration, but she donated six figures worth of donations to Republican candidates and institutions over time.

I don't feel confident in terms of what her positions are.

>> With this specs to the publican party, the Republican party me, there was no road left.

My open house sided with the Trump Administration and the Republicans so many times, please check his record out if you don't believe me.

Reporter: She called out Kim's procedural vote on a Republican border built the Congressman replied, he voted to impeach Donald Trump twice.

Michael Rasmussen served as debate panelist, and said both candidates back basic Democratic values like gun-control and abortion-rights, but we >> I think the differences in this race fundamentally political, questions of differences of personality, differences as of approach.

The battle lines are drawn and you see how this primary will play itself out.

Reporter: Nowhere is the battle more fierce than the question of Tammy Murphy's benefiting from her husband's political influence to get insider access to the advantageous county line set by party bosses on primary ballots in the 19th New Jersey's 21 Counties.

>> We don't see a fair process when it comes to this Senate race, something I see a lot of people across New Jersey see.

That is a real problem if we can have agreement on sharing the lines in all 19 counties that have a county line, can make that agreement right now.

>> We all will continue working on the system that we have.

For me, this is just one piece of the puzzle.

The fact of the matter is that I am going to earn every single vote that I get by working hard every single day and visiting and listening to people on the ground.

Reporter: But in a postdebate gaggle, Kim said the governors trying to help his wife by leaning on Burlington County Democrats who are likely to give their favorite son Kim that coveted county line during their upcoming convention.

>> The governor is literally making phone calls to people in my county on behalf of his wife, trying to pressure people into having a shared line of Burlington Convention next weekend.

And I find that ridiculous and frankly repulsive.

>> Why would Andy Kim go along with sharing the line that he is expected to win, if that is not reciprocated in counties where she is expected to win the line?

It's sort of an all or nothing proposition.

Reporter: Kim didn't name names, but Murphy's campaign replied that what Congressman Kim is saying is not true.

In his desperate attempt to secure the same country lies he endlessly fundraisers off of abolishing, the sooner, though candidates fields to qualify for the debate, and the incumbent indicted Senator Bob Menendez, did not reply to the debate invitation.

I am Brenda Flanagan, NJ Spotlight News.

RAVEN:First lady Tammy Murphy and Congressman Andy Kim searched for weak spots in last night Senate debate.

They also both tried to use the hour and half to make their case to New Jerseyans as to why a Democrat should be elected to office.

So how do Republicans come through the early momentum of Democrats in this race?

Joining me to share his perspective on the debate is a Republican strategist, Chris Russell.

First off, who do you think you must better in this debate, and who had the stronger performance?

Guest: I think Andy Kim certainly is the smoother of the two women debating.

I thought Tammy Murphy got better, I thought of the debate went on, but in the beginning, she was nervous.

This is just something I would look at, I thought her background setting was strange.

Kim just looked a bit more polished and professional throughout.

That is certainly an advantage.

But I think these Zoom debates are also difficult because, of the beginning, Tammy Murphy in her opening statement, she was reading it, and whether Andy Kim was or he wasn't, I couldn't tell.

So I thought Kim was the winner in Stiles.

RAVEN: Interesting point.

His recurring point of contention was party loyalty.

Kim questioned Murphy's background as a Republican, and she jabbed back by reminding him of his, working with the Bush administration, arguing she had voted in favor of funding for Trump's Border wall, which he denied.

It was this a successful line of for either candidate -- -- was this a successful line of attack for either candidate?

Guest: Tammy Murphy, whether she's a good candidate or not because she was at once a Republican, I don't know if that sticks.

I also don't think the attack on Andy Kim that he is disloyal because he voted for a few bills or certain motions in Congress that may have sided with Republicans -- he was in a competitive district at the time.

I thought where Andy Kim really was able to hit her with the idea that when Tammy Murphy was talking about we need a new generation, we need to get away from the status quo, I mean, Andy Kim is younger.

It would be the first Korean American in that role in the U.S. Senate.

Tammy Murphy is the wife of the governor.

Whether she likes it or not, and I know it's an inconvenient thing for the campaign, but it is impossible for her to call someone else the status quo, when she is coming in that role with all the party support she has.

I thought both attacks on who is more Democrat or who is more legitimate as a Democrat fell flat.

Overall, I just don't see how Tammy Murphy gets around the idea that she is the first lady and she isn't being handed all of these county lines, that she is somehow the fresh face here.

RAVEN: There didn't seem to be a lot of vertical differences between the two candidates.

What do you think voters will be basing their decision on who to vote for in June?

Guest: I think it will base their decisions on a few things.

The party lines have impacts, so that will help Tammy Murphy at some level.

She will derive a benefit from the county lines.

I just don't know that it will be enough to overcome Kim.

I think people are looking at this race and, as they say in boxing, fights are about matchups and styles.

And I think in this case, Andy Kim has a perfect argument to make against her, that she is the candidate of the insiders, someone who's being handed the nomination on the platter because of who she is, not what she has done.

I think that will help drive this underdog narrative for Kim.

He is raising a lot of money, so he will not be outspent here.

I like his chances in this awful awful big upset.

I think the Murphys bed off more than they could she when this one and that's just not sitting right with voters in their own party.

RAVEN: It's been more than 50 years since New Jersey State Republican to the Senate.

Do you see a pathway for any of the Republican candidates?

Guest: Certainly there is a path way.

We have elected governors in this state multiple times.

One of them almost pulled off an upset against Governor Murphy in 2021.

While New Jersey is a blue state, I don't think it's a far-left date or a very liberal state.

So I think there's an opportunity.

50 years is not just an accident, right?

There's a reason why that is happening.

There is a difficulty Republicans to win a U.S. Senate race in the state permit that has been proven over time.

If Tammy Murphy is the nominee, she opens up a different line of attack for them to attack her the same way Kim is.

Which I think is compelling.

At the end of the day, but we have several good candidates and politics is unpredictable.

So you never know.

If you are on the ballot, you can win.

I think the Republicans, who ever emerges, will have to run a good campaign.

RAVEN:That's right.

You never know.

Thanks for joining me.

Guest: Thank you for having me.

RAVEN:In last night Senate debate, neither candidate endorsed a permanent cease-fire in Gaza, with both calling for the immediate release of hostages being held by Hamas.

On Friday President Biden said he has pushed Israeli Prime Minister Bennett submit Netanyahu for a temporary cease-fire to get hostages out of Gaza, and that he has urged Israel not to proceed with a ground offensive in Rafah without a clear plan to protect more than one million Palestinians sheltering their.

But today Israel said it would move ahead with military operations in Rafah,'s Hamas doesn't release the remaining hostages by the start of Ramadan early next month.

According to the health ministry, the death toll in Gaza has surpassed 29,000.

Here in New Jersey, Palestinian residents in Paterson got her to call on President Biden to support a cease-fire, as they mourn the loss of loved ones killed in Israeli airstrikes.

Senior correspondent Joanna Gagis reports.

>> The death toll is 29,000.

18,000 since November 16 when we called for the cease-fire.

Reporter: Mayor Andre Sayegh today renewed Patterson's calls for a cease-fire in Gaza, pointing to the 18,000 men, women and children who have been killed in the region in just the last three months since the city first called on the Biden administration to take action.

>> That is why on Presidents' Day year speaking directly to the president of the United States.

And we are making a universal humanitarian appeal to our president, and we are calling for a permanent cease-fire for a permanent peace and a permanent resolution in the region.

Reporter: Paterson has one of the largest Palestinian-American populations in the U.S., according to Mayor Sayegh, and several spoke today about the devastating deaths of their loved ones.

>> It's been 137 days of ongoing genocide against the people of Gaza, funded, paid for and supported by our government.

This is not something far off.

2000, at least 2000 members of our families have been killed.

>> 19 members of my family have been killed.

I wish we didn't have to get that phone call saying, "I am sorry, uncle Mohammed is dead, and four generations are dead with him."

My one-year-old cousin, who didn't even live to see her first birthday, is dead.

>> 15 members of my cousins and my uncle and his wife and his grandchildren who have been killed in the first week.

This is a time of one humanity to come together to stop this war today, not tomorrow, today.

Not only cease-fire for one month or two months.

We want permanent cease-fire!

Reporter: Their message comes of the International Court of Justice began hearing arguments today on the need for a two state solution in the region, on folk raised before this war began.

Here in Paterson, a diverse group of Faith leaders, Muslim, Jewish and Christian, joint that call to the president.

>> We are outraged that the president is apparently planning to, again, veto a Security Council resolution for a cease-fire even as Netanyahu threatens more attacks on Rafah.

>> This conflict has seen over 29,000 deaths, and about two-thirds of that number are women and children.

Reports have stated that up to 80% of Palestinians have been driven out of their homes and left to starve.

According to Oxfam international, about 250 Palestinians are killed per day.

>>.

>> The pope has also called multiple times for a cease-fire.

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, Joe Biden's administration is set to send what is said to be enough munitions to be able to continue the slaughter in Gaza for another 19 weeks.

Reporter: Mayor Sayegh is R.G.

New Jersey local and state officials to join his call, although the number stands I just 4 municipalities that have just called for a cease-fire.

Newark and Jersey City have not yet added their voices to the movement, despite calls for them to do so.

>> 17 cities have called for a cease-fire.

Nine of them are in Michigan.

But there are 164 municipalities in New Jersey alone.

We went New Jersey mayors to sign onto this call for cease-fire.

Reporter: He says there could be devastating political impacts on those who don't.

In Paterson, Joanna Gagis, NJ Spotlight News.

RAVEN: The bald eagle is making a comeback here in New Jersey.

Last month, the state's division of Fish and wildlife, in partnership with nonprofit conserve wildlife foundation of New Jersey, released its annual report for the bald eagle project for the sixth year in a row, the population has increased, highlighting what has been one of the state's most successful conservation efforts.

And that success has been, in part, due to the help of about 150 volunteer nest monasteries.

To explain more, I am joined by contributing writer for NJ Spotlight News, Andrew Lewis.

Andrew, there was a time when spotting a bald eagle was virtually impossible.

Not so much the case now.

What has been the main game changer?

Guest: It has been a variety of things really.

In the 1980's, the state of New Jersey really aggressively pursued bringing back the bald eagle population.

They isolated nests.

They put the one remaining nest in South Jersey, they make sure to protect it from any human interference.

They did what they called a hacking experiment, where they actually took the eggs out of the nesting pairs' nest because at that time, because of DDT pollution, their egg shells were soft.

So they incubated the shells themselves in a lab.

And then another really important thing is they imported 60 bald eagles from Canada in the late 1980's.

They were juveniles and they actually had a flourishing and doing pretty well in the state.

RAVEN: Let's talk about the jobs of volunteer nest monitors.

I watched the video.

Let's just say the job is not hard.

How many are there and what do you know, can you explain to the viewers about what the job means?

Guest: If you are a bird enthusiast, it's a pretty great gig, I think.

There are about 150, I think that his volunteers, and then also folks like Kathy Clark with nj dep, and Larisa Smith, with the conserve wildlife foundation.

Essentially a team of one hundred 50 volunteers.

This think they are looking for the most is to see juveniles hatched, parents change rules.

The mom might head out for a flight and the father will take over the nest and vice versa.

So they're just looking for any interactions in the nest areas.

In the United States, they are no longer considered endangered.

In New Jersey, they are considered endangered during this incubation period that I mentioned earlier.

But also as a mentioned in the story, the state is considering de-listing them -- not really de-listings, but down listing them to "species of special concern."

So they will still have some protection, but it will not be as stringent as an endangered protection.

That is great news, and it is a testament to the conservation efforts that have been going on for the last four years.

RAVEN: I love to hear it.

Andrew Lewis thank you for joining me,.

Guest: Thank you, Raven.

RAVEN:.

RAVEN: In tonight's Spotlight on Business Report, New Jerseyans know the benefits of electric cars, but that doesn't mean they are ready to switch.

A new poll finds half of garden state residents are opposed to Governor Murphy's plan to phase out the sale of new gas powered vehicles by 2035.

A majority of people said they understand electric is better for public health on the environment, but the majority also said they are not likely to buy electric, citing concerns about EV cost and charging station availability.

The poll comes as the New York Times reports that the Biden administration is considering tweaking the federal emissions standards rules that would drive the electric vehicle transition.

According to the report, the rules may be adjusted to be morning and in the coming years, likely delaying the masks which to EVs until after 2030, in response to political pressure from auto workers' unions.

Former President Donald Trump has been strongly opposed to electric cars.

Ashley of Rutgers says the push for electric will be an important issue this campaign season.

>> Even though opinion is split pretty evenly, politicians have kind of have to be wary when treading this issue simply because you don't know where independents are necessarily going to lie.

Especially if they look much more like overall New Jerseyans or like Republicans.

And especially because those who are most supportive are already squarely in the Democrats camp and they aren't new voters that Democrats can turn out in their favor.

I♪ ♪ RAVEN: Harrison is a producer with NJ Spotlight News, working everyday on political stories.

But he has done a lot in the world of food and culture, working as a tasting guide, and as an apprentice cheese maker at a dairy farm featured in action Bronson's show "as that delicious."

Now Harrison is the creator of a new travel and culture podcast with NJPBS called "Off Exit."

The first episode just came out.

He joins me now.

We have talked why before.

You have talked about places to eat, you always have good places.

And recipes.

Guest: True.

RAVEN: Now you are taking out of that passion and put it into a podcast called "Off Exit."

Let's start with the name.

I understand you had about 30 names prior to picking this one.

Why "Off Exit."

Guest: First, thanks for having me.

I had a lot of names, I was writing every idea down on Google Docs.

[LAUGHTER] This felt like the best name.

It felt most true to me, I am a fairly spontaneous person so I am always trying new restaurants and visiting small towns in New Jersey.

It spoke to the nature of the show which is me going off exit, off the beaten path, meeting new people and trying to capture the stories.

RAVEN: Tell me about why you chose to focus on food, travel and culture, how did that come about?

Guest: Food and trouble are fun.

It's fun to cover and fro right about -- it is fun to cover and fun to write about.

This is things people can appreciate.

Everyone can get behind these stories.

Then on top of that, video podcasting is something I have done for the last two years and it is the medium most immersive for me.

When I am doing these stories, I am hoping that people can feel like they are there with me.

So in the first episode I am on the mushrooms arm.

People can feel like they are cultivating mushrooms with me.

There is a litter episode in a jazz show.

People can feel like.

they are hearing good news with me.

Or other surfing competition, they can hear the tide and the waves coming and going.

I feel like people feel like they're on the scene and also learning something.

Learning something new is what public media is all about.

RAVEN: You.

Us a sneak peak of episode two, what can viewers expect when listening to this podcast.

Guest: Episode two is one I am really excited about.

It's about a jazz artist from Teaneck.

Jazz is a genre and thing that we don't hear much about but it's something that I love, I have always been a final jazz.

For me it's a way to showcase that jazz is still happening the legacy is, D.O.B.

and continued, and who have young artists like this one who are still able to innovate and create in the space.

I spent a lot of time with him going to clubs and even a charge, getting to hear him perform permit you get a.

Profile of who this guy is, what his music is about and why you should be a listener.

That is the second episode.

We have a lot of interesting food and culture topics.

For me it's like New Jersey is its own special place.

We are sandwiched and often overshadowed by two major media market -- Philadelphia and New York City -- but we have a lot of stories here so I am trying to tell those worries.

RAVEN: Harrison, thank you so muchRAVEN: .

Guest: Thanks for having me.

RAVEN: You can listen to the first episode of "off the exit" and catch future episodes by downloading and subscribing wherever you get your podcasts.

That does it for us tonight, but don't forget to download the NJ Spotlight News podcast so you can listen anytime.

I am Raven Santana.

For the entire team, thanks for being with us.

Have a great evening and we will you back here tomorrow.

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And by the PSEG foundation.

>> NJM Insurance Group has been serving New Jersey businesses for over a century.

As part of the garden state, we help companies keep their vehicles on the road, employees on the job, and projects on track.

Working to protect employees from illness and injury to keep goods and services moving across the state.

We are proud to be part of New Jersey.

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We have got New Jersey covered.

♪