Nationally there is quite the fuss over some of the debates between federal candidates in the Nov. 2 midterms, but none may be more important than the debate happening this evening in Jonesboro between Arkansas 1st Congressional District candidates Chad Causey (Democrat) and Rick Crawford (Republican). The Causey campaign sent an email earlier all but promising their candidate would go after Crawford for his past financial problems, what they say is his past support of privatizing social security and using high sales taxes to raise govenment revenue.
You can follow it live at the ABC affiliate in Jonesboro, KAIT 8, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
You can follow it live at the ABC affiliate in Jonesboro, KAIT 8, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
The KAIT debate was an abbreviated re-hashing of the AETN appearances by Mr. Causey and Mr. Crawford. I am the Green Party candidate for the seat, and was not invited by KAIT to participate.
By FAR, the more interesting debate followed on Thursday evening, OCT 21. Broadcast on ASU TV, simulcast on KASU radio, and sponsored by ASU's Political Science department, and The Jonesboro Sun, it included all three of us. Both Mr. Causey and Mr. Crawford departed significantly from the prepared statements, rehearsed "talking points", and party rehtoric, and responded more spontaneously to questions from the panelists with answers that reflected the questions. Both proved that they are able to think on their feet, and have actual personal opinions and positions on important issues facing voters in this election. I think I had done that in the AETN debate, and carried it over to the ASU debate. It provided for a frank discussion of the challenges we face in District 1, and who might best address those challenges.
The news media also responded more fairly to the ASU debate by not only acknowledging my presence at the debate, or mentioning me as an afterthought, but by representing each of us equally in their follow-ups, and giving voters the opportunity to hear the differences between us, and judge for themselve who would best represent their interests in Washington.