Congressman Ducks Titus Debate Challenge, Nevada's Voters

Just days into the general election campaign, Republican Congressman Jim Gibbons has returned to a familiar pattern of hiding from Nevada's voters. Congressman Gibbons not only rejected Senator Dina Titus' proposal for six gubernatorial debates leading up to the November election, but also ducked a high-profile candidate forum held Monday night by Congregation Ner Tamid. With the House of Representatives out of session until September 5 (see congressional Majority Whip calendar posting, http://majoritywhip.house.gov/whippost.asp?date=7/29/2006), Congressman Jon Porter was able to participate in Monday's event. Where was Congressman Gibbons?

Titus' "six for '06" debate proposal, outlined in an August 18 letter, aims to engage voters in all corners of Nevada in the democratic process, providing many opportunities to see the candidates, side by side, discussing the state's most pressing issues. Although the congressman's camp has maintained a preference for only three debates, Titus is hopeful that a sit-down meeting between the two campaigns will change Gibbons' mind. Although she has received debate invitations from several organizations already, Titus hopes to engage additional groups in debates of varying formats, including "town hall" style events with opportunities for audience participation.

"I am hopeful that the congressman will want to take advantage of the opportunity before us for a thorough vetting of the issues, in debates and in candidate forums around the state," said Titus. "Nevada's electorate is too sophisticated and smart to fall for pre-prepared, one-way messaging alone. They want to see us together, to ask questions and engage personally in the process."

"We are ready to sit down with Congressman Gibbons to make a plan which maximizes information available to voters in the weeks leading up to the election," she continued. "Nevadans deserve nothing less."

http://www.dinatitus.com/index.php?section=news&id=829