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A proposed primary debate between State Senate Republican candidates Vincent Polistina and Seth Grossman has been canceled after Polistina declined to participate, according to Stockton University.
The William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University and the League of Women Voters of Atlantic County had invited the candidates to a May 11 online debate. The forum had been proposed via Zoom and YouTube Live because of the continued COVID-19 coronavirus precautions. Grossman had accepted the debate invitation.
On Saturday, Polistina campaign manager Joe Berg emailed a League representative saying the former assemblyman will not participate in online debates. The League of Women Voters has a policy of not participating in one-candidate forums and withdrew its event co-sponsorship.
The Hughes Center and the League of Women Voters will co-sponsor an online debate between Democratic primary candidates for Atlantic County clerk at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 27. The two candidates, Egg Harbor City Mayor Lisa Jiampetti and activist Mico Lucide have agreed to participate. Links to the debate are on the Hughes Center website at stockon.edu/hughes-center.
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Grossman sent an email earlier today expressing his frustration.
“One month ago, Stockton University and the League of Women Voters invited me and my ‘Regular Republican’ Primary opponent to an online and video debate. It was scheduled for May 11. I cleared my calendar and accepted more than two weeks ago. It was announced in the Press of Atlantic City last Saturday. A few hours later, the organizers told me that my opponent ‘declined’,” Grossman said. “As of now, the event is cancelled. I think my opponent made a mistake. I am urging him to reconsider.
| “I agree that Stockton University and the League of Women Voters are heavily biased in favor of Democrats,” he added. “That means that most questions will almost certainly be based on Democrat talking points. However, there are three good reasons to be in this biased debates anyway. |
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- In my debate against Jeff Van Drew three years ago (when VanDrew was a Democrat), I showed how Republicans can win by using even biased questions to talk about the real issues that matter to most voters.
- Stockton University and the League of Women Voters give us a platform to reach independent and undecided voters we cannot reach any other way.
- If Democrats bring up ugly issues in this early debate, they give us Republicans extra to research, prepare, and deliver responses to them before the November election–the election that counts the most.
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| I am disappointed that whoever wins on June 8 will miss those three opportunities.
However, there is a silver lining. By avoiding this debate, is my opponent admitting that I am the stronger candidate at forums like this? Is he showing that he is not as prepared and willing as I to fight “woke” Democrats? |
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