The Oregon Republican party has pulled the plug on that scheduled presidential primary debate in Portland. The debate would have taken place on March 19th and was scheduled to be shown nationally on PBS.
The biggest factor given for the cancellation was that the candidates are focusing less on face to face debate and more on getting votes in individual states. Tonight we talked to our local legislators for their thoughts on the cancellation.
“I’m always concerned whenever we have a chance for a major debate or major discussion in Oregon and we are once again bypassed,” said Senator Alan Bates, D-Medford.
“I think that the Republican debate would have been good to get further information out to Oregon voters on the platforms that our Republican candidates are running on. I think that it’s a healthy thing to have comparison of two different visions for America and let Oregonians make sure they are making a clear decision when they vote for the president in the fall,” said Representative Peter Buckley, D-Ashland.
Also Mitt Romney wasn’t planning on attending, having penciled himself in to be in Illinois for their primary.
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