As the race for the 7th Congressional District heats up, Democratic candidate Curtis Hertel, Jr., said on Monday that it was “unfortunate” that his Republican opponent, Tom Barrett, declined invitations to two debates on Lansing-area news networks.
A representative for Barrett did not respond to request for comment.
The two debate invites were extended by WILX and WLNS, which Hertel’s campaign said he accepted.
In a Monday statement, Hertel’s campaign spokesperson, Sam Kwait-Spitzer, said Barrett “may run from debates, but he can’t run from his record.”
“Voters here in Mid-Michigan deserve to hear directly from the candidates on their records, priorities, and differences. It is unfortunate that Tom Barrett is depriving voters in MI-07 of that opportunity,” Kwait-Spitzer said. “But it is also unsurprising. You can’t really blame Tom Barrett for wanting to hide his support for a national abortion ban and record of sponsoring legislation to jail women and doctors, raising taxes, and siding with Big Pharma when they sold dangerous drugs.”
The 7th U.S. House District is quickly becoming one of the most expensive and competitive congressional races in the country.
