Today’s WaPo article highlights the contrasting positions of the Republicans and Democrats in this year’s election cycle. Both Glenn Nye and Tom Perriello, looking to cling to any stipulation that gives them an advantage in an election year where they’re likely to lose, are insisting that no-chance third party candidates be included in a debate.
Freshman Reps. Glenn Nye (D) and Tom Perriello (D) both want conservative-leaning independent candidates included in their debates, while their Republican opponents are resisting.
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“Debates are really an important forum in this election,” said Nye campaign spokeswoman Leah Nelson, saying they are among the “few opportunities that these candidates really have to speak on substantive issues.”
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Rigell’s campaign doesn’t want Golden participating unless Golden reaches the 15 percent mark in at least three independent polls — the same standard used for inclusion in general election presidential debates. (There is one key difference: While presidential races are polled daily by a variety of sources, there may not be three independent polls of the 2nd District contest between now and November.)Nye doesn’t think there should be any statistical bar to Golden’s participation.
“Glenn believes that the debates should be open to everyone who qualified for the ballot,” Nelson said.
Nye and Golden are both planning to attend an Aug. 19 debate at a Virginia Beach high school, but Rigell won’t be there. Nye, in turn, has declined invitations from other groups that didn’t include Golden.
However, as I mentioned months ago, when it first came out that Nye was refusing to debate, regardless of your (or Brian’s) feelings about the Scott Rigell requirements, at the end of the day the incumbent is the one who looks bad by not debating, no matter the spin by Nye or the Virginian Pilot.
It’s not surprising that Glenn Nye would want to include Kenny Golden in any debate. However, the additional (unspoken) part of Rigell’s stipulation is noteworthy too. Rigell’s campaign includes a 15% clause, much like a presidential commission, not necessarily unreasonable. What adds to this is Kenny Golden’s own remarks, given at an on-the-record press conference a month and a half ago, that he would drop out of the race if he were not polling at 10-15% in September. Given that any debate likely won’t take place until September or October, this ‘debate about debates’ is much ado about nothing. Golden raised $4000 last quarter. The odds that he’ll be polling at 10 – 15% in a month/month and a half are astronomical. If he is committed, as he stated on the record, that he’ll be dropping out if he’s not at that threshold, why is Rigell’s stipulation ridiculous?
This fiasco should be seen for what it really is, a transparent attempt by Glenn Nye to avoid any on the record event against Scott Rigell.
