Sunshine News: Dave Aronberg: Dan Gelber's Call for 11 Debates 'Smacks of a Political Stunt'

Kevin Derby's blog | Posted: July 27, 2010 2:45 PM
2 comments

With less than a month until the primary election on Aug. 24, Sen. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres, shot down the idea of holding 11 debates with Sen. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach, his rival for the Democratic attorney general nomination.

Last week, Christian Ulvert, Gelber’s campaign manager sent a letter to the Aronberg campaign proposing more debates.

“This is an important election cycle for Democrats and all Floridians,” wrote Ulvert. “The historic nature of having every seat on the Florida Cabinet wide open requires us to ensure Floridians have an opportunity to learn firsthand from the candidates themselves.

“Since both our campaigns will have limited resources and unable to saturate the airwaves like other statewide candidates, I suggest that Sen. Dave Aronberg joins Sen. Dan Gelber in hosting a debate in each of Florida’s 11 media markets,” continued Ulvert. “This will ensure that Floridians in every part of the state have an opportunity to learn about each of the Democratic AG candidates.”

Aronberg replied to Ulvert’s proposal in an e-mail sent out to Gelber late on Monday.

“I believed that our campaigns were engaged in honest discussion about the debate process, so I was a bit surprised by the e-mail you sent to us and the press corps calling for 11 debates in the final month of the campaign – a number that you know is unrealistic and smacks of a political stunt,” wrote Aronberg.

“Let me be clear: We should have debates before the Aug. 24 primary, but let's start this discussion on a reasonable timetable given the normal hectic pace of the closing weeks of a statewide campaign,” wrote Aronberg.