U.S. Senate candidate Cam Cavasso is trying to get聽Sen Brian Schatz to debate him, but it’s an uphill battle.
Cavasso, the Republican, wrote to Schatz a couple days ago聽suggesting the Democrat join him for one forum each on Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Molokai and the Big Island next month.
“I believe it would be respectful to the people of Hawaii for us to debate the issues important to the voters of Hawaii,” Cavasso said in a press release. “The people of Hawaii deserve to be informed as to our respective positions and qualifications for office.”
The Schatz campaign had no聽comment for聽Civil Beat’s inquiry about whether they are considering Cavasso’s request. But聽with a 62-25 percent lead, it’s unlikely聽Schatz聽will even bother.
Meanwhile, the campaign of Charles Djou says聽the Republican candidate for the 1st Congressional District has appeared at聽more than a half-dozen forums around town (including one hosted by the Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii last night at the Ala Moana Hotel) but Democrat Mark Takai has been a no-show.
A spokesman for Takai, however,聽says聽that their candidate has not been dodging joint appearances. In fact, televised CD1 debates are set for PBS Hawaii on Oct. 9 and Hawaii News Now a few days after that. Djou and Takai also went head to head at a Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii event Tuesday.
And, Takai is expected to be at a聽No Vote No Grumble Roundtable 聽at the Richards Street YWCA Oct. 8. A KITV debate it still a possibility, too.
Speaking of KITV, I’ll help them out Tuesday聽at 8 p.m. when Republican Duke Aiona, Democrat David Ige and independent Mufi Hannemann go at it in a statewide broadcast. More than a half-dozen other appearances are scheduled between now and Oct. 28 for the gubernatorial wannabes.
Finally, it is pretty聽unlikely that U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and her Republican opponent Kawika “The Smoking Guy” Crowley will share the same room anytime between now and Nov. 4. They did not debate in the 2012 race and this time around Gabbard leads Crowley 70-17 percent.
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About the Author
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Chad Blair is the politics editor for Civil Beat. You can reach him by email at cblair@civilbeat.org or follow him on Twitter at .