NEW YORK SENATE HOPEFUL, WENDY LONG, TO THE MORALLY & FINANCIALLY IMPOTENT - DEBATE ME!
BY CELESTE KATZ
GOP Senate hopeful Wendy Long is challenging her rivals, Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos and Rep. Bob Turner, to a debate. Recent polling shows all three Republicans badly trailing incumbent Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. Long writes:
Dear George and Bob:
This is one of the shortest primary schedules in modern New York electoral history. It’s important to hold a series of debates across the Empire State, so that Republican primary voters can make an educated decision as to which one of us they prefer to face the U.S. Senate’s number one liberal, Senator Gillibrand, on the GOP line in the November election.
I suggest, that starting the first week of May, we hold a series of 3 debates leading up to the June 26 primary. Local Republican organizations and/or local or regional media outlets could sponsor these debates.
It is my belief this would be a great opportunity to showcase where each of us stand on the issues as well as the Conservative-Republican principles we hold in common.
Obviously, time is of the essence, so I hope that you will respond to this challenge quickly, so that we can start to identify suitable dates. I am sharing copies of this letter with Chairman Cox and all 62 Republican County Chairs so that they may join us in the planning of what will be an exciting and informative series of debates.
Yours sincerely, Wendy Long
Turner spox Jessica Proud responds, "We look forward to debating the key issues facing New Yorkers, including high unemployment, rising gas prices, national debt, deficit spending, and the complete lack of leadership in the U.S. Senate, which has failed to propose or pass a budget for three straight years."
