JEFFERSON CITY — A televised debate between the two top Democrats running for U.S. Senate in Missouri has been postponed because one of them, Trudy Busch Valentine, has not responded to repeated invitations, debate organizers said Wednesday.
Lucas Kunce, the other Democrat who was invited to participate in the debate, said in a news release that “I hope that my opponent will have the respect for Missouri voters to show up and debate.â€
“The working people of this state deserve to hear directly from the candidates,†he said.
Kunce’s campaign, in its release, shared a statement from debate organizers; a debate organizer who works at KMOV (Channel 4) confirmed the statement’s authenticity.
The debate was to air July 12 on five Gray TV stations across the state, including KMOV, as well as on partner stations in Jefferson City and Joplin.
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“A statewide televised Missouri Democratic US Senate debate planned for next week in Kansas City has been postponed as one of the two leading candidates has yet to respond to numerous invites to participate,†organizers said. “The seven media partners are disappointed but hope to re-schedule a debate/forum prior to the August 2nd primary.â€
The debate official said organizers confirmed Valentine’s campaign received the invitation to the debate but that they never received a response.
Kunce said in May that he had committed to the Gray TV debate on KMOV. In May, Valentine’s campaign manager said the campaign “will be evaluating each debate opportunity as it comes up and as we see proposed details.â€
More than a month later, Alex Witt, the campaign manager, said in a statement on Wednesday that “we will be evaluating each debate opportunity as it comes up†in response to Kunce’s news release.
Elizabeth Markowicz, another Valentine official, when asked if the campaign’s strategy was not to debate, said “I would not say that.â€
Witt said the Valentine campaign “is focused on reaching people across Missouri in a variety of ways. Over the past few weeks Trudy has been crisscrossing the state, traveling to places like Kansas City, Ferguson, Springfield, Columbia, and Monett to listen to Missourians and hear their concerns.â€
Valentine has secured endorsements from many of the biggest names in Missouri Democratic politics, including U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Kansas City.
She has employed a more conventional message than Kunce, who has campaigned as a progressive populist.
“Former Georgia Senator David Perdue tried this strategy of avoiding debates last cycle — he lost,†Kelli Kee, spokesperson for Lucas Kunce, said in his news release.
“It’s disappointing to see a Democrat attempt the same Republican tactics,†Kee said. “Campaigning is about showing up. Lucas Kunce has been doing that all across this state from day one. People running for office shouldn’t be afraid of the very people they’re trying to represent.â€
The KMOV official also said Wednesday organizers were trying to schedule a debate in the Republican primary contest for U.S. Senate.
Organizers had invited former Gov. Eric Greitens, U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler, Attorney General Eric Schmitt and U.S. Rep. Billy Long to participate, the official said.