MICHIGAN (June 18, 2014) – Rep. Gary Peters is calling on Terri Lynn Land to participate in five public debates as they compete for a seat in the U.S. Senate.
The Democratic candidate is calling for town-hall style debates to be held across the state.
The Peters campaign has already accepted three invitations, but is proposing a total of five.
“All three debate invitations that both campaigns have received and that Gary accepted today are from well respected, non-partisan institutions for post-primary Fall debates,” said Haley Morris, Peters campaign spokeswoman. “We hope Ms. Land will join us in accepting these invitations and scheduling two other town hall style debates so Michiganders can hear exactly where the candidates are on the issues.”
A letter was sent to the Republican’s campaign, urging Land to join him.
“Gary Peters and the rest of the politicians in Washington just seem to want to fight like school kids, spend more money, and stick us with the bill,” said Heather Swift, Land campaign spokeswoman. “We look forward to joint appearances in the fall and will begin those discussions after the Primary.”
The copy of the letter is as follows.
Dear Ms. Land,
This election is about the future of our state, and along with it, two competing visions. With such an important decision to make, Michigan voters deserve to have the opportunity to make informed choices on who will stand up for them in the United States Senate. I agree with you when you said that it is important for the voters to hear exactly where the candidates are on the issues.
For more than a year, I have been traveling all across Michigan on a listening tour to hear directly from families and small businesses about the issues that matter most to them. I believe the conversations that Michiganders have around their kitchen tables should drive the agenda in Washington, and addressing those challenges with common-sense solutions should be the top priority for our next U.S. Senator. That is why I believe we should have a conversation directly with Michiganders.
I propose five public, televised, town-hall style debates across our state on the issues that I’ve heard through this listening tour and that matter the most to our future and all of our families as Michiganders. I believe these discussions will be most productive if they are held in a casual and free-flowing townhall format that engages Michiganders and encourage as much participation as possible.
I’ve already accepted three invitations from WOOD TV in Grand Rapids, Michigan State University, and WXYZ in Detroit. In the coming days, I will be appointing a debate negotiator to facilitate and coordinate the specifics with our campaigns.
Michiganders deserve the to hear from the candidates in an exchange of views on issues that directly effect our great state, and I look forward to having these discussions on the future of Michigan in the near future.
Sincerely,
Gary Peters
