Third District congressional candidates to debate Oct. 15

Four chapters of the League of Women Voters in Southwest Washington (Clark, Klickitat-Skamania, Lewis and Cowlitz counties) have invited Third Congressional District candidates — Republican candidate Joe Kent and Democratic candidate Marie Gluesenkamp Perez — to participate in a debate ahead of the Nov. 8, 2022, General Election.

The 75-minute debate is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, although League officials.

To accommodate any travel plans of the candidates, and because of the geographical distances between news outlets, the debate will be conducted as a Zoom webinar.

Serving as panelists will be journalists from five news outlets from throughout the district: The Columbian, the Skamania County Pioneer, the Chinook Observer in Ilwaco, the (Longview) Daily News, and The Chronicle in Centralia/Chehalis.

“The Third Congressional District serves a diverse region,” said LWVCC President Nancy Halvorson. “And we are including journalists from throughout the district to make sure the candidates address issues that are of concern to all of their potential constituents.”

The district stretches from Clark County north to Lewis County and from Pacific County on the coast to Skamania County in the east. The district also includes Wahkiakum County and a portion of Thurston County.

The 101-year-old nonprofit League is well known for its reputation and history of hosting nonpartisan debates and candidate forums in cities, counties, districts and states throughout the country.

Halvorson noted the campaign for the Third Congressional District has drawn extensive attention, including coverage by The New York Times and The Washington Post, in part because two newcomers are facing off after long-standing incumbent Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler did not advance in the Aug. 2 primary election.

“As always, because of our experience and our commitment to impartiality, the League is up to the task of conducting a nonpartisan event that will provide voters with important information about the candidates and their positions,” Halvorson added.

Clark/Vancouver Television, a government-access cable channel, will handle production and air the debate live. Kelso-Longview Television, a government-access cable channel that serves the northern regions of the district, and TVW, Washington’s public affairs network, also will air the event live.

Independent and commercial radio and television stations in the region that request links will be permitted to air the debate in full as well, Halvorson said. No candidate will be allowed to edit the footage for campaign purposes.

Topics for questions will be solicited from the five journalists as well as members of the public. The League will screen the questions for subject matter and bias and the journalists will be asked to review them as well.

Ballots will be mailed to Clark County voters on Oct. 21, and are due by 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8.

For more information, visit lwvclarkcounty.org.