Prince William County Supervisor Yesli Vega has declined to participate in a debate with Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-7th, that would have been held in Fredericksburg in the heart of the newly drawn 7th Congressional District.
Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor and director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington, confirmed Monday that the Republican challenger had declined an invitation to participate in a debate organized by the university’s student government organization, the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star, Virginia Public Media, the Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce and the League of Women Voters.
“We had several conversations and we were hoping it would happen, but in the end the answer was no,” said Farnsworth, who would have moderated the debate.
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In a series of statements on Twitter on Friday, Spanberger expressed regret that the debate would not happen and blamed Vega.
“As a Representative, I believe in accountability and accessibility, and I had been looking forward to debate the issues that matter to Virginians,” the two-term congresswoman wrote. “Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for my opponent, who just declined a debate.”
“Voters deserve to know where their candidates stand on issues, and clearly my opponent is hiding from Virginians because she can’t defend her extreme positions,” Spanberger added.
Vega quickly responded on Twitter that she would debate Spanberger next month at the Prince William Committee of 100, but then implied that congresswoman wouldn’t appear at the forum “because it’s televised, not just a college campus of your base.”
“And while we’re at it ... how about a debate in Spanish, too?” added Vega, whose family immigrated from El Salvador. (Spanberger speaks Spanish, her campaign said.)
The Prince William civic committee said it has been communicating with Spanberger’s campaign about the forum, currently planned for Oct. 21. The candidates will appear together and answer questions from a moderator, but not from each other.
“The type of format and other details are still being negotiated ... but I do not see an impasse,” said Ray Mizener, president of the committee. “Both sides seem to want the event, we are just ironing out the guidelines.”
Prince William has the largest number of votes in the new district, created under a political map that the Virginia Supreme Court approved on Dec. 28. The new map shifts the 7th District from its base in the Richmond suburbs to the Fredericksburg area, eastern Prince William and portions of seven mostly rural localities.
The Committee of 100 is a nonpartisan civic organization that Mizener said includes members from the county committees for both political parties, as well as current and past elected officials.
“Through this, we maintain our neutrality and ‘Switzerland like’ reputation which is quite helpful in networking for campaign manager contacts,” he said in an email on Sunday.
The committee has scheduled a forum on Oct. 5 in Manassas Park for the 10th District congressional race between Rep. Jennifer Wexton, D-10th, and Republican challenger Hung Cao. Farnsworth will serve as moderator at the forum.
“My position is candidates for public office should give the public every opportunity to evaluate them,” he said.