by David Safier
Tedski picked this one up over at R-Cubed.
Ann Kirkpatrick (D, CD-1) challenged Paul Gosar to 5 debates, which is strange, because usually it's the challenger, not the incumbent, who wants the face time. The number of debates Gosar accepted just went from one to zero.
It now appears there won't be a public debate in Flagstaff or on television between the candidates seeking the U.S. House seat for northern Arizona on Nov. 2.
Republican nominee and Flagstaff dentist Paul Gosar is now saying he won't attend a televised debate with incumbent Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick because it would take too much time to drive to Phoenix and back.
"The schedule is getting so full," said Gosar's campaign spokesman, J.P. Twist. "… It's basically six hours wasted of driving when we're talking a little over one week out from the election."
Kirkpatrick and Gosar had both agreed to a public, televised debate Thursday on Eight Arizona PBS, said Horizon Executive Producer David Majure.
It had been scheduled as of Sept. 22.
As Tedski pointed out, Phoenix is 2 hours away from Gosar's home (Flagstaff) and his campaign HQ (Prescott), meaning the driving is much closer to 4 hours. I'm sure Gosar could find the time, if he thought he would look good on TV.
Here's how un-bunker Kirkpatrick is. She went to a tea party event earlier this month so she and Gosar would have at least one joint venue. Kirkpatrick is more willing to walk into tea party territory than Gosar is to face the cameras on (shudder) public television.