Richmond Times-Dispatch - Brat Dodges Debate Challenges, Opponents Say

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By Markus Schmidt

During a heated Republican primary in the spring, Eric Cantor's opponent Dave Brat challenged the House majority leader to debate him.

Cantor refused -- and it may have been a factor when his constituents in the 7th District fired him in June.

Less than two months before the Nov. 4 election, Brat, now the nominee, has yet to debate his opponents, Democrat Jack Trammell and Libertarian James Carr.

While the Republican has agreed to one face-off with Trammell on Oct. 28 at Randolph-Macon College -- where both are teaching -- Trammell and Carr are alleging that Brat is avoiding a public conversation with his opponents.

"What a difference a nomination makes. The same candidate who six months ago wanted debates is minimizing them now," said Stephen J. Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington.

Brat and Trammell appeared together for the first time last week at a luncheon hosted by the Chesterfield Chamber. They spoke separately; Brat went on first, followed by Trammell.

Today, all three candidates will attend an event hosted in Glen Allen by the Virginia Foundation for Research and Economic Education.

"We'll be asking them business-related questions, so our members can get a sense," said Chris Saxman, the organization's executive director.

But the candidates will be interviewed separately, and the event is closed to the public.

Brat spokesman Brian Gottstein said the campaign is working to confirm two additional public events that will be announced soon, but he did not clarify whether these will be debates or forums.

"We do not have carved-in-stone criteria for choosing which debates or forums to participate in," Gottstein said.

"Dave has been invited to many, and each one is reviewed individually. We certainly want voters to be able to see the stark differences between the candidates' approaches to government, which is why we are choosing to participate in several debates and forums."

Gottstein said he has no idea how someone can accuse the campaign of avoiding anything.

"It's sad that our opponents have resorted to such desperate tactics -- attacking when they've got nothing else substantive to say. I hope they come up with some better material that actually addresses the issues of the 7th District that they can bring to these events."

For Trammell, that is not enough. "Our country was founded on debate and compromise," he said. "I believe our citizens are owed not only an open discourse on our positions but also an opportunity to see which candidate has the disposition to bring real change in Washington."

Carr said he is particularly upset about being shut out of the Randolph-Macon debate.

"The most frustrating aspect of the college's refusal to embrace the reality that this race has three equally viable candidates is that they are allowing the narrow-mindedness of a few administrators, or the fear of an opposing candidate, to overshadow what would be an opportunity for the college to show that they are at the forefront of politics," Carr said.

Trammell and Carr say they have accepted challenges to confront Brat at other events, which the GOP nominee has turned down.

The Virginia AARP reached out to the candidates shortly after the June primaries to invite them to do a televised debate that would have been carried live by public television station WCVE the week after the Oct. 13 debate between Sen. Mark R. Warner, D-Va., and Republican Ed Gillespie.

"This is a high-profile race, and we have more than 100,000 members who live in the 7th District who would be interested in that race," said AARP spokeswoman Ginger Thompson.

Trammell accepted promptly, Thompson said. "The Brat campaign told us last week that he would not attend because they are accepting other events. We're disappointed, but we understand candidates have a crowded schedule."

The Five Lakes Civic Association in New Kent County has already started advertising a forum planned for Oct. 14 at New Kent High School. Organizer Andrea Epps said all three candidates confirmed to attend in July, including Brat.

"The purpose of this event is to give the people in the 7th District the chance to submit questions by email and listen to (the candidates') answers," Epps said.

But Gottstein said Monday that Brat has never committed to the forum and won't be attending.

"I don't know why (Epps) continues to tell the media that we are participating," he said.

To Epps, who said her organization has spent "a lot of money" on reserving the venue, it is clear that Brat does not want to debate his opponents because it won't help him in a race she thinks he is likely to win anyway.

"It is extremely disrespectful to the citizens of the 7th Congressional District for Mr. Brat or his campaign to assume they can ride the "R' behind his name all the way to Washington," she said.

The University of Mary Washington's Farnsworth said participating in several debates comes with the job of any elected official or candidate running for office.

"If you want to represent the public, you should appear in a range of events. Many elected officials even in safe districts participate in debates because they believe that they need to do so as part of connecting with voters," he said.

"A minimum of three debates always seems like a good number to me. Maybe more for larger districts, like the 7th," Farnsworth said.

In the Senate race, Warner and Gillespie have debated once in July and have agreed to two additional debates set for October. They have also appeared together at a number of candidates forums statewide.

Warner, however, has not accepted all challenges from Gillespie.

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