Pallone leads in polls, but Little is riding tea party momentum
U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., left, 2009 photo by Aristide Economopoulos/The Star-Ledger. Photo of tea party-backed Republican candidate Anna Little, right, by Tim Farrell/The Star-Ledger taken in April 2010.ABERDEEN — U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone and tea party-backed Republican challenger Anna Little have agreed to a debate Sunday night, the first public sparring event for the two 6th Congressional District candidates.
Representatives for both sides confirmed the debate will take place at Temple Shalom on 5 Aymond Lane in Aberdeen at 7 p.m. The debate is being sponsored by the League of Women Voters.
Pallone, the 22-year Democratic incumbent, was leading Little by 12 points, 53 percent to 41 percent, in a recent Monmouth University poll. But Little, the upstart Highlands mayor, is still riding the momentum of a tea party-backed, grass-roots campaign that spurred a surprise victory over millionaire Diane Gooch in the June primary election.
Before the debate on Sunday, Gov. Chris Christie is scheduled to join Little in a rally at the American Legion in Piscataway.
The 6th District includes towns in parts of Monmouth, Middlesex, Union and Somerset counties.
Previous coverage:
• U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone ahead of GOP challenger Anna Little, poll says
• U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, N.J. environmentalists campaign against offshore drilling
• Monmouth County newspaper publisher plans to challenge Rep. Frank Pallone
• Tea Party protesters offer fake pink slip, cake outside Rep. Frank Pallone's office
• Bob Braun: Congressman Frank Pallone helps give N.J. Democrats a voice