Cravaack agrees to 3 debates, Nolan wants more

Posted at 10:45 AM on September 13, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD8

Republican Congressman Chip Cravaack has agreed to participate debate his DFL opponent Rick Nolan three times before Election Day.

Cravaack's campaign says he will participate in a Duluth News Tribune/Duluth Chamber of Commerce debate on Oct. 9 at 8am at the Duluth Playhouse, a KSTP debate that will be taped on Oct. 12 but will air on Oct. 14 and a Debate Minnesota forum at Anoka-Ramsey County College in Cambridge on Oct. 16 at noon.

But officials with Nolan's campaign say they've agreed to at least four debates and will probably agree to several more. They include the KSTP debate, the debate in Cambridge and proposed debates in Virginia, MN and Duluth. The Nolan campaign has not yet agreed to the Duluth News Tribune/Duluth Chamber of Commerce debate.

Cravaack campaign officials say they won't agree to any more debates.

The number of debates, timing of the forums and the locations could be a factor in the upcoming election. Campaigns are more likely to agree to debates that have a large number of partisans in the audience or are moderated by groups that are friendly to their ideas.

Cravaack is running for re-election in Minnesota's 8th Congressional District. The campaign is expected to be competitive and is getting plenty of attention from outside interest groups. Cravaack won an upset victory over long-time DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar in 2010. The two debated twice that year.

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