On October 14, a U.S. Senate debate was held in West Virginia. Participants included three of the four candidates on the ballot: Republican John Raese , Mountain Party nominee Jesse Johnson, and Constitution Party nominee Jeff Becker. See this story. The Democratic nominee, Joe Manchin, did not attend, but he did provide written answers to the debate questions.
All four candidates will debate on October 18; see this story. That debate will be televised and will be the first televised debate in West Virginia that includes a minor party debating major party opponents. Thanks to the commenters for improving the accuracy of this post.
I participated in last night’s candidate forum at Marshall University via Skype videoconference. It was my understanding that it was not televised, but may have been broadcast over local network to students at the university.
There was an audience and media was present. Monday’s event will not have a studio audience and will be entirely broadcast over West Virginia PBS, 8:00pm. he format is set up as a traditional debate with opportunity for rebuttal.
I second Becker’s “huh”? The Health Care Discussion Panel was not televised to anyone’s knowledge. Nor was it really defined as a “Debate”? The last paragraph of the article states, “THIS was the first time a WV….minor party nominee for US Senate….participated in a Televised debate with a majority party nominee.” Are you speaking of the Health Care Panel Discussion or the upcoming DEBATE hosted by the WVU School of Journalism, that is going to be aired live on PBS tv and radio stations?
And, you might be referring to the fact that in 2008 when Johnson ran for Governor he was BANNED, not by PBS but by WV Broadcasters Association, from participating in the only broadcast that preempted all major WV tv stations. The only airing conducted of it’s kind for that race. There WAS a debate planned by the Wheeling Jesuit College and the Political Science Department. This was to be a ‘Town Hall’ type debate. They had confirmation from Johnson, Raese and I think Becker, BUT Manchin would not participate, then his campaign just stopped taking Prof. Poffenbarger’s calls…they reported they opted for the PBS STUDIO format for a Debate.