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Five of the top Democratic candidates for governor participated in a very spirited – and sometimes heated – discussion Monday night in Newark.

NJ PBS and WNYC hosted the latest forum, with coverage produced by NJ PBS’s newsroom, NJ Spotlight News, and moderated by NJ Spotlight News Anchor Briana Vannozzi and WNYC “Morning Edition” Host Michael Hill.

Just as with last week’s Republican live event, the format was a sit-down discussion. With no opening or closing statements, the format is designed to keep the focus on the discussion and the topics — and not attacks between the candidates.

Monday’s event featured Ras Baraka, Steve Fulop, Josh Gottheimer, Mikie Sherrill and Steve Sweeney. The other major candidate on the Democratic side, Sean Spiller, did not meet the fundraising threshold to qualify.

High stakes

The gathering comes with just under a month to go until the primary – as the political rhetoric and tensions ratchet up coming down the stretch. It also arrives on the heels of the latest Rutgers-Eagleton Poll. The most-recent survey shows a tight race between the main candidates.

In a contrast to February’s debate, and the more kumbaya feeling on the stage, the high stakes were reflected in much more contentious exchanges May 12 between the candidates.

Over the hour-long discussion, moderators posted questions and the candidates shared positions on a wide range of issues, including:

• Transportation (NJ Transit and Newark airport woes)
• Immigration
• Energy prices
• Property taxes
• School funding
• Government efficiency
• Federal funding cuts
• Parental rights
• President Donald Trump
• And much more

See a full replay of the debate below:

The final debates take place next week:

• Democratic, May 18 – sponsored by the New Jersey Globe, On New Jersey and the Rebovich Institute of New Jersey Politics at Rider University; presented by Uber
• Republican May 20 – sponsored by the New Jersey Globe, On New Jersey, the Rebovich Institute of New Jersey Politics at Rider University and Save New Jersey; presented by Uber.

Both events will begin at 7 p.m. at the Essex County Donald M. Payne, Sr. School of Technology in Newark.

Primary day is June 10.