Eye on Boise: Incumbents decline debate
Two of the three incumbents in Idaho’s top races have declined to debate their opponents head to head in televised face-offs this year, but 2nd District Congressman Mike Simpson will debate Democratic challenger Aaron Swisher.
1st District GOP Rep. Russ Fulcher, who is seeking a second two-year term, declined an invitation from KTVB-TV in Boise to debate his Democratic challenger, Rudy Soto. U.S. Sen. Jim Risch, who is seeking a third six-year term in the Senate, declined the station’s invitation to debate his Democratic challenger, Paulette Jordan.
Jordan challenged Risch in September to a series of four town-hall style debates around the state; Risch never responded. He has a long history of ducking debates, often opting to participate in only one forum per election. He is appearing along with Jordan and independent Natalie Fleming this year in the “Idaho Debates,” but due to COVID-19, that program will follow a modified format in which each candidate will be asked the same questions in separate video interviews, and their answers will be spliced together so viewers can compare them.
Fulcher, on the other hand, strongly criticized then-Gov. Butch Otter in 2014 for refusing to do more than one debate with him when he challenged Otter in the GOP primary for governor.
“We’ve both been invited to have multiple forums, multiple public debates. I encourage that,” Fulcher told then-Idaho Statesman reporter Dan Popkey in a televised interview that April. “And I think the people of the state of Idaho at least deserve to hear that exchange, for my sake, for his sake, for the state’s sake.”
Fulcher then accused Otter of ducking multiple debates because “I don’t think he can adequately defend his record on the issues that I discuss. He does not want to publicly have to defend that.”
Soto has thrown similar criticisms at Fulcher this year. “His ducking of the debate is an act of cowardice, disdain, and deep disrespect to the citizens of Idaho’s 1st District,” Soto said in a statement. “As a veteran, I believe we need leaders who aren’t afraid to be accountable for their actions and stand up for those they serve even during tough times. I urge Rep. Fulcher to reconsider and act with the utmost courage and candor that voters deserve.”
Lisa Chavez, director of content at KTVB, said Fulcher never explained why he wouldn’t participate in the debate, despite multiple requests. Risch sent this letter from Dennis Johnson, chair of his campaign committee:
“We have had the opportunity to review the invitation you sent for a debate, along with the context of all the other invitations we have received. We recommended to the Senator that he accept the IPTV invitation, as it fits best with our efforts to communicate and publish his views. As a result, we are going to respectfully decline your invitation, but want to thank you for the opportunity.”
Simpson, who is seeking a 12th two-year term in the House, will debate 2nd District Democratic challenger Aaron Swisher live on Wednesday from 7-8 p.m. on Channel 7-2, KTVB.com and the KTVB app and YouTube channel.
The debate will reair Friday at 7 p.m. on KTVB Channel 7.Meanwhile, the Idaho Debates featured the three candidates for the 1st Congressional District – Fulcher, Soto, and Libertarian Joe Evans – on Friday night. That 90-minute program is now available online for viewing any time at idahoptv.org/idahodebates
Next up on the Idaho Debates is the 2nd Congressional District race on Monday, Oct. 12, at 8 p.m.; followed by the U.S. Senate race, including Risch, Jordan, and independent Natalie Fleming, on Friday, Oct. 16, at 8 p.m.
Another view on ‘Rocky’ candidacy
I wrote in a recent column that it appeared that independent presidential candidate Roque “Rocky” De La Fuente wasn’t actually eligible to run on the Idaho ballot because was on Idaho’s GOP primary ballot this year in the presidential race and lost. Idaho’s “sore loser” law forbids candidates who lose in the primary from then running in the general election with a different affiliation.
Jason Hancock, deputy Idaho Secretary of State, said by his interpretation of Idaho law, De La Fuente is eligible, because the “sore loser” law doesn’t apply to presidential candidates. He said that was Idaho’s interpretation back in 1980, when Congressman John B. Anderson ran in the GOP primary for president, losing to Ronald Reagan, and then appeared as an independent on Idaho’s presidential ballot that same year.
In Idaho’s 1980 general election, Reagan took 66% of the vote for president, followed by Democratic incumbent Jimmy Carter with 25% and Anderson with 6%.