From the campaign of Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Don Tracy:
News-Gazette Columnist Highlights Juliana Stratton’s Inconsistency on Debates
SPRINGFIELD — News-Gazette columnist Jim Dey just spelled it out: Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton only wants to use debates to pander to her party’s socialist base, as she did to help her win a primary. She will not debate when it requires her to stand next to Republican U.S. Senate nominee Don Tracy and answer for her record and far left positions.
In a recent column, Dey said that Stratton “participated in multiple joint appearances with her two opponents in the run-up to the March primary election” because “Democratic voters didn’t know her.” Dey continues, “the last thing Stratton wants to do in this solid Democratic state is discuss issues with her GOP opponent — Springfield lawyer Don Tracy.”
Despite multiple invitations, Stratton has refused all debate requests and agreed to only one joint appearance: an Oct. 20 appearance on Chicago’s PBS affiliate.
Dey reported that Don Tracy has accepted multiple debate or joint appearance offers from several Chicago television news stations and public groups including the League of Women Voters, Illinois Farm Bureau, the Technology Manufacturing Association, the Illinois Manufacturing Association, the Illinois Retail Merchants Association and the Illinois Municipal League.
“It’s a wise strategy for Stratton,” Dey wrote. “She has a negligible background in elected office and virtually no exposure to national and international issues. As of now, the low-profile Stratton stands to coast into the Senate, and she’s not about to risk that possibility by letting the public in on her views.”
Don Tracy has called on Stratton to commit to three debates in three regions of the state: one in the Chicago media market, one in Springfield / Central Illinois, and one in Southern Illinois.
“Illinois voters statewide deserve the chance to hear from both of us, in person, on the record,” Tracy said. “I have said yes to every debate request. She has said no to every debate request and yes to only one of several joint appearance invitations. An open Senate seat is too important to hide one’s positions on the issues from the public.”
