Manhattan attorney Wendy Long wrote to her two rivals for the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate today challenging them to a series of debates in advance of the June 26 primary.
“This is one of the shortest primary schedules in modern New York electoral history,” Ms. Long writes. “It’s important to hold a series of debates across the Empire State, so that Republican primary voters can make an educated decision as to which one of us they prefer to face the U.S. Senate’s number one liberal, Senator Gillibrand, on the GOP line in the November election.”
There are currently no debates scheduled, although typically YNN or NY1 will hold a couple as the election nears. Ms. Long is locked in a tight race with Congressman Bob Turner and George Maragos, the Nassau County Comptroller.
Offering to hold a series of debates is typically the move of a long-shot who lacks the money and name recognition of her opponents and hopes to be seen on the same stage–often quite literally–as her opponents. That is not really the case with Ms. Long, who has already garnered the Conservative Party endorsement and trails Mr. Turner by 8 points (although none of the candidates are well-known by GOP voters and all are trailing badly to Kirsten Gillibrand.)
Ms. Long however has been struggling to raise money.
Full letter below:
