AUGUSTA — Two candidates for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District — Democrat Emily Cain and independent Blaine Richardson — are looking to make hay of Republican Bruce Poliquin’s reluctance to participate in debates that include all three candidates.
Cain and Richardson are scheduled to hold a joint press conference later today about Poliquin’s claims that Richardson is “not a credible candidate,” and that the independent’s presence at a debate would be “an issue” for Poliquin.
Cain and Richardson will appear at the press conference at the State House, during which they’ll announce their intention to only appear at debates where all three candidates are invited.
If both sides hold firm to their stances on debate inclusion, voters in the 2nd Congressional District could show up at the polls in November without ever having seen a public debate among the candidates.
In an email to MPBN, one of the organizations seeking to schedule political debates this fall, Poliquin’s campaign manager Matt Hutson argued that the inclusion of Richardson — a staunch libertarian who could siphon some conservative support away from Poliquin — would be “an issue” for the Republican candidate.
Hutson said he was considering the criteria used by the Presidential Commission on Debates, which state that only candidates polling at 15 percent or better be included.
Richardson, Hutson said, was not a credible candidate “as evidenced by his lack of fundraising and non-active campaign schedule. This last cycle he only raised $275 total. That is just over $3 [per] day.”
Debates in Maine have traditionally included each candidate that qualified to be placed on the ballot. Richardson, a former Republican, qualified for the ballot on June 2.
Debates have quickly become a key campaign talking point, not only in the 2nd Congressional District but in the race for governor.
Independent gubernatorial candidate Eliot Cutler, trailing in the polls, has called for at least 16 debates — on in each county — starting as soon as possible. Incumbent Republican Gov. Paul LePage and Democratic U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud are being hyper-selective, however, and have each declined invitations to several debates.
Michaud has said he won’t participate in any debate that doesn’t involve LePage.
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