Wilmington, Delaware (September 7, 2010) -- The Independence Hall Tea Party PAC, along with Founders Values, the Conservative Caucus for Delaware, Diamond State Tea Party, the 9/12 Delaware Patriots, and the Delaware Conservative Coalition, are demanding that Congressman Mike Castle debate Christine O'Donnell before the upcoming September 14 primary.
Together, these groups represent thousands of Delaware voters.
In a letter being hand delivered, mailed, faxed, and sent via facebook, today, the coalition
is suggesting a 90 minute debate format with a single moderator and audience participation.
"During this primary season, Mike Castle has been given multiple opportunities to debate Christine O'Donnell. A range of organizations from the ABC News local affiliate, to WDEL, to the League of Woman Voters, to Founders Values have offered the Congressman countless opportunities to debate the issues and he has been a no show," said PAC vice president and Diamond State Tea Party founder, Kevin Street. "O'Donnell, on the other hand, has been present at every venue.
"We not only think Congressman Castle is afraid to confront Christine O'Donnell after running a campaign of vicious personal attacks against her but that he is also scared to appear in a forum before Republican voters, many of whom feel betrayed by his votes on 'Cap and Trade' and the 'Disclose Act.'"
Mr. Castle has refused to debate O'Donnell in the past, insisting that she is not a viable candidate.
However, national attention has been focused on the race in recent weeks due to a string of O'Donnell endorsements, including that of National Talk Show Host Mark Levin and Tea Party Express, which has vowed to pump hundreds of thousands of dollars into the campaign.
"There are strong indications that the race is tightening," said PAC president, Don Adams. "National attention is now being focused on the Delaware primary and the momentum is shifting in O'Donnell's direction."
Family Values Events Director, Kristen Sherman, says the coalition will make every effort to accommodate Mr. Castle should he finally agree to a debate. "O'Donnell has already given us the green light. All Mr. Castle has to say is 'when' and we will make it happen."
(Please find the letter of invitation below.)
# # #
Founders Values
P.O. Box 673
Bear, DE 19701
September 7, 2010
Congressman Michael N. Castle
United States House of Representatives
2 Mill Road Suite 108
Wilmington, DE 19806
Dear Congressman Castle:
Founders Values, along with The Conservative Caucus of Delaware, The Diamond State Tea Party, The 9/12 Delaware Patriots, The Delaware Conservative Coalition and the Independence Hall Tea Party PAC, are urgently requesting your attendance to publicly debate your primary opponent, Christine O'Donnell - - something that you have skillfully avoided this entire primary season. These organizations represent thousands of Delawareans that want an opportunity to hear the candidates debate the issues that are important to them.
We believe that the people of the State of Delaware have a right to know and understand where candidates for elected office stand in relation to one another. We also believe that the candidates themselves have an obligation to debate their positions publicly, so that the people may decide for whom they should vote. Hosting a debate between candidates for elected office is an excellent way for us to facilitate this kind of public information sharing.
We are very willing to accommodate you and your busy schedule in order to make this debate a reality. We are flexible on both date and time for the debate. We are proposing a debate as soon as possible and would prefer an evening time, as this would allow the most people to attend.
We will also be asking local media to attend the event and to broadcast it live. It is also our intention to video tape the debate and to make that video available on the internet.
The six sponsoring organizations are proposing a 90 minute debate consisting of a single moderator with written questions from the audience. These questions will relate directly to issues slated for discussion in the United States Senate this coming fall. The last half hour of the debate would be dedicated to rapid fire questions from the audience, followed by closing arguments. We would like to work with both campaigns to ensure a debate format that each of you can be comfortable in and are therefore open to modifying the format.
We respectfully request that you contact us within 24 hours of receipt of this invitation, to let us know if you are willing to debate and work toward an agreeable date and time. As you know, time is running out before the September 14th primary election and we need to move quickly on making this work for the voters. We look forward to having you at the debate and sharing your positions with the people of Delaware.
On Behalf of Founders Values, The Conservative Caucus of Delaware, The Diamond State Tea Party, The 9/12 Delaware Patriots, The Delaware Conservative Coalition and the Independence Hall Tea Party PAC,
Kristen Sherman
Events Director
Founders Values
302-463-1854
The Independence Hall Tea Party PAC was formed in February, 2010 to assist federal candidates in the tri-state region (PA, NJ, DE) who share the organization's commitment to limited government, fiscal responsibility, and lower taxes. Visit www.IndependenceHallTeaPartyPAC.com.
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