This is a mistake by Grothman.
Two of the three candidates who want to represent the Sixth Wisconsin Congressional District sparred over government’s role in the economy and Social Security’s future during a forum Tuesday night.
Democrat Mark Harris, currently the Winnebago County executive, and Libertarian Gus Fahrendorf, a Neenah residential construction company owner, drew stark contrasts between each other on a variety of issues raised during a candidates forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Winnebago County, the American Democracy Project at UW-Oshkosh and Oshkosh Northwestern Media.
Harris saved his strongest words for the candidates’ Republican opponent, State. Sen. Glenn Grothman, who declined to participate in the forum. Grothman has also passed on a number of other opportunities to debate Harris.
While it is a Republican-leaning district and Grothman is likely in the lead, he should be willing to debate the opponent. I’m not saying they should debate every week, but a couple of debates would be sensible. It appears that Grothman’s campaign strategy is to try to ignore and marginalize Harris.
And the thing is… Grothman is a good debater. He really knows the issues and has strong stances. He should show that off more.
Grothman is a great debater. He could mop the floor with Harris.
When you are in the lead, the debate could be used by your struggling oppnent to goad Grothman into saying something completely common sense to many, but then skewered, taken out of context, and subsequently used to rally the uninspired, goofy, liberal base to go vote against Grothman.
I’d like to see Grothman debate him as well, but its the practical call in this case.
Also, the reality is, debates mean little to nothing when it comes to voting.
Those who attend and watch debates are usually political junkies like us who’d vote will not sway.
Those whose votes do sway, don’t care enough to watch a debate. If they did care enough, they would have a guiding moral core on how things should be run in the country, which would mean consistent voting patterns vs. blowing and twitching in the wind every election…those people tend to not watch debates at all.