Virginia News Headlines: Monday Morning

Also: Douglass Challenges Hurt to Five Joint Appearances (0.00 / 0)

Of course, Robert Hurt's a horrible debater and won't want to do this. Still, smart move to challenge him!

Douglass Challenges Hurt to Five Joint Appearances

Proposes Lincoln-Douglass Style Town Halls in Addition to Traditional Debates

Chatham, VA - With less than four months left before voters head to the polls to pick their candidates for office, Congressional Challenger General John Douglass's campaign issued an open challenge to incumbent Congressman Robert Hurt for five joint appearances, which include several historic invitations by non-partisan, non-profit organizations in the Fifth District. The challenge appeared in an acceptance letter for two debates hosted by news stations WSET and WVIR, sent earlier this morning. Excerpt (full letter below):

"When John Douglass unveils his plan to help Virginia families next week, he will stand ready to debate every point," Campaign Manager Gary Ritterstein said in the letter. "So we are openly inviting Republican Congressman Robert Hurt to join him for five separate appearances that will give voters throughout the district the chance to make a more informed decision about who will best represent them in Congress."

In addition to having already accepted three invitations that will be broadcast in the Charlottesville and Danville media markets, the Douglass campaign is proposing two Lincoln-Douglass Style Town Halls in Warrenton and Farmville. This will allow voters in the newly added counties and the southeastern part of the district to see the candidates together. WSET and WVIR have offered debates, moderated by the Sorensen Institute's Robert Gibson with a panel of local reporters, on September 6th and another date to be determined. The Senior Statesmen of Virginia has also offered a forum for both candidates on August 8th, hosted by WINA Radio's Coy Barefoot.

Democratic Senate candidate Tim Kaine and even Republican Senate candidate George Allen have shown the moral courage to accept a large number of joint appearances, with 8 debates already scheduled. Meanwhile, General Douglass has been barnstorming the district with more than 200 appearances since entering the race, talking with and listening to voters. But according to a Danville Register Bee article, featured on Hurt's own website, "Hurt has visited a lot of businesses as opposed to having large town hall-type of meetings with constituents." His most recent town hall event appears to have been held as far back as last December at Hampden-Sydney.

While John Douglass spent his life serving our country, working his way up from a foster home to highest levels of military leadership, under Presidents Reagan and Clinton, Hurt has spent his career in politics voting with Republicans in Congress 94% of the time. As a result, he has gotten away with bankrolling his campaigns with hundreds of thousands of dollars from Corporate PAC's, including Wall Street banks, insurance companies and lobbyists, at the expense of Fifth District families. He's even taken more than $10,000 from one of the leading companies seeking to privatize social security.

Voters deserve to get answers from their Corporate Congressman on the tough questions:

• How could Hurt throw away a chance to support a common-sense, bi-partisan proposal last week to kick-start Virginia's critical transportation projects and stop student loan rates from doubling?

• Why would he pledge to protect deficit-funded tax subsidies for millionaires, corporations and Big Oil, but refuse to protect seniors and Veterans by twice voting for the Paul Ryan budget cuts?

• What does he tell military families with loved ones in harm's way when he votes to keep our troops in Afghanistan?

• When Hurt admits it would be "impossible to balance the budget without deeply cutting" programs like Medicare and Social Security - what cuts is he proposing exactly?

• How much danger does the proposed Coles Hill uranium mine have to pose to families and farmers before Hurt will break his financial ties to their investors?

Fifth District constituents can help round out the Top Ten List of questions for Congressman Hurt by respectfully posting to his facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RepRo...

The Douglass for Congress campaign looks forward to working with the Hurt campaign to iron out the details of these appearances in a way that ensures a full and fair discussion that addresses the concerns of Virginia families. Following the unveiling of his Virginia Families Plan, General Douglass will be making many more campaign stops to address voter questions and welcomes Congressman Hurt to join him, anytime or anywhere.

Full acceptance letter below:

July 8, 2012

Mr. Randy Smith                                                  Mr. Harold Wright

WSET President and General Manager          WVIR Vice-President and General Manger                                                        

Dear Mr. Smith and Mr. Wright,

I am writing to on behalf of Congressional Challenger General John Douglass (USAF Ret.) to accept your invitation for two televised debates in Danville and Charlottesville. All candidates for public office, especially those already privileged to serve, have duty to address constituent concerns, answer the tough questions and distinguish ourselves from other candidates. This way, voters can learn more about what each candidate will do should they be elected.

Having spent his life in public service, Brigadier General John Douglass has no interest winning over party leaders or power brokers. He's running for Congress for the very same reason he put his life on the line for our country and answered the call to serve under both Presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton -- to help Virginia families get a fair chance at a better future.

When John Douglass unveils his plan to help Virginia families next week, he will stand ready to debate every point in the months to come. So we are openly inviting Republican Congressman Robert Hurt to join him for five separate appearances that will give voters throughout the district the chance to make a more informed decision about who will best represent them in Congress.

Douglass's Help Virginia Families Plan will support parents and students, bring job creators and seekers together, protect retirees and veterans, keep communities safe and honor America's forefathers. Right now, too many families are being hurt by career politicians who put the powerful ahead of our fellow Virginians. Corporations have already attempted to buy our election by pouring millions of dollars into corporate PAC's, because they rather drown out real debate with nasty attack ads.

So thank you for the invitation to these debates. We look forward to coordinating with you in the coming days, because we definitely agree that this format provides an excellent opportunity for a discussion of the most important issues in this year's campaign.

Very respectfully,

Gary Ritterstein
Campaign Manager
John Douglass for Congress

Follow me on Twitter. Follow Blue Virginia on Facebook and Twitter.

---

by: lowkell @ Mon Jul 09, 2012 at 10:32:07 AM UTC