Curtish Bashaw, the Republican in the race to replace Bob Menendez, had to step away from the debate stage for 10 minutes.

The candidates for New Jersey's open U.S. Senate seat squared off Sunday night in the first of three debates. Rep. Andy Kim, the Democratic nominee and third-term congressman from Burlington County,

A debate between Democratic Representative Andy Kim and Republican Curtis Bashaw for New Jersey's Senate seat was halted after the GOP candidate appeared to stop talking mid-sentence and freeze. Viewers of the debate suggested that Curtis seemed to be having a "medical episode" while on stage.