Rookie Congressman Rejects Invitation to Participate in Proposed Debate Series Before Primary
CARLSBAD, Calif. — Democratic Representative Mike Levin will be avoiding public debates for the next 6 months, according to his campaign. In an email to the Maryott campaign on Monday, a Levin campaign representative dismissed a total of four (4) debate invitations from San Juan Capistrano Mayor and Republican Congressional candidate Brian Maryott. According to Levin’s campaign, the freshman Congressman will not discuss the possibility of debating until after the conclusion of the top two, jungle primary, scheduled for March 3, 2020.
Early Monday morning, Maryott sent a letter inviting Levin to participate in four district debates to occur in fall 2019.
“As elected officials, it is our additional responsibility to keep people informed of our own values, positions on issues, accomplishments, and decisions. For centuries, candidates for office have met publicly to fulfill that honorable duty,” said Republican Brian Maryott in the letter to Rep. Mike Levin. “Our congressional campaigns offer differing ideas for the future of our district and voters deserve the opportunity to learn about them. We owe it to the residents of the 49th congressional district to begin holding debates this fall.”
Maryott’s full letter to Levin can be read here.
The opportunity for district voters to learn about the two campaigns was soon after rejected outright by the Levin camp.
“Frankly, I find it extremely disappointing that our congressman rejected the opportunity for voters to learn more about our differing ideas for the future of our district and country. Our neighbors should have every opportunity to make an informed decision on their preferred candidate before going to cast their ballots, and Rep. Levin is denying them that chance,” said Brian Maryott in response to the refusal by the Levin campaign.
The Levin campaign asserts that they will not participate in debates until after the primary, excluding the possibility of voters having the ability to learn about the candidate until after March primary ballots have been cast.
“Hiding from substantive public dialogues is a tactic all too common amongst DC politicians embarrassed by their own records. CD49 residents should be very concerned by Rep. Levin’s unwillingness to participate in debates,” said Maryott for Congress campaign manager Richard Hernandez. “Apparently Mr. Levin expects people to first vote for him and only afterwards learn about him — an absurd proposition similar in tone to his ‘political hero’ Nancy Pelosi’s ‘pass it to find out what’s in it’ stance on healthcare legislation. CD49 voters deserve better.”
