EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, NJ — Last night, Bayly Winder, Democratic candidate for Congress in New Jersey’s 2nd Congressional District, hosted his second in-person town hall of the campaign, following last month’s “Doc Talk” healthcare forum. The event, titled “Jeff Van Who?”, was held at the Elks Lodge in Egg Harbor Township, and drew an energetic crowd of dozens of South Jersey residents. Participants asked questions face-to-face with a 5-foot-tall cardboard cutout of Congressman Jeff Van Drew, brought by the Winder campaign. The campaign explained that Van Drew was invited to co-host the event, but declined.

“I’ll give him credit — the cutout showed up, stood tall, and didn’t dodge a single question,” said Winder. “That’s already more than the Congressman.”

The town hall began with a speech from Winder, who highlighted both Congressman Jeff Van Drew’s voting record and his history of failing to engage with constituents. Winder also laid out his own policy proposals, focusing on issues with healthcare, affordability, and government transparency. The speech was underscored by a shared sense of frustration among the district’s voters towards Van Drew’s record in Congress, including his vote for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s Medicaid cuts and last week’s government shutdown.

Community members shared stories of their own, pointing to Van Drew’s unwillingness to hold open forums as a symbol of his disconnect from South Jersey. Van Drew has repeatedly refused to hold an in-person town hall.

Attendees voiced their concerns about the cost of living, local infrastructure, and Congressional representation — issues Winder promised to tackle through transparency and grassroots engagement.

Winder’s campaign continues its momentum around the message that real leadership means showing up. He plans to continue his commitment to political transparency by holding quarterly, in-district town halls as the district’s Congressman, a pledge which drew crowd applause.