McLeod-Skinner challenges Walden to three debates

Jamie McLeod-Skinner, Democratic candidate for Oregon’s 2nd Congressional District, issued a personal invitation to a round of debates with Rep. Greg Walden while attending the Chief Joseph Days Parade in Joseph.

McLeod-Skinner followed up with further details on Tuesday in a letter hand-delivered by McLeod-Skinner to Rep. Walden’s office in Bend.

“I enjoyed meeting Congressman Walden and his wife at the Chief Joseph Days Parade in Joseph,” McLeod-Skinner said in a news release Thursday. “I’m pleased Representative Walden agreed to debate me. I believe the voters of our district deserve to hear us debate the important issues affecting their lives — including health care, education, public land management, and economic development.”

McLeod-Skinner is proposing a minimum of three debates — in Southern, Central, and Eastern Oregon — to be moderated by local journalists and at least one as a town hall where the candidates take questions from voters. The topics for the debate should be unlimited, McLeod-Skinner said, and driven by the issues of concern to voters. Several organizations had already contacted the candidates to schedule debates.

McLeod-Skinner has already agreed to the following and asked Rep. Walden to join her:

● August 31 in Umatilla County hosted by the AAUW,

● October 7 in Jackson County hosted by The Daily Courier newspaper and Rogue

Indivisible, and

● October 22 in Deschutes County hosted by Central Oregon Community College.

McLeod-Skinner stated in her personal invitation and in her letter that she would be open to more debates or joint town hall meetings with Congressman Walden, including debates in all 20 counties of the 2nd Congressional District.

McLeod-Skinner said she is working to restore openness, responsiveness, and accountability. “Voters should expect their elected representatives to listen to their concerns and to explain their position on important policy issues.”