Accusations of Debate Dodging in Secretary of State Primaries
Former State Treasurer and Secretary of State candidate Alexi Giannoulias speaks during a candidate forum at the Union League Club in Chicago Thursday. Alderman David Moore and Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia look on. (Photo: Chicago Sun-Times)
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Presumed frontrunners in the Democratic and GOP primaries for Secretary of State are being accused by challengers of dodging televised debates.
Democrats held a non-televised forum/debate at the Union League Club in Chicago yesterday.
Valencia, who is trailing Giannoulias’ cash haul, has been calling out the former State Treasurer for dodging debates.
“Alexi Giannoulias has been skipping forums, dodging tough questions from political reporters and relying on allies to attack me because he doesn’t want to answer for his failures as a banker, state treasurer and U.S. Senate candidate,” Valencia said in a statement last week. “But Democratic primary voters deserve to hear the candidates for Secretary of State debate the issues of the day and our plans for the office. That’s why I’m challenging Alexi to participate in debates, hosted by major media outlets, over the next several weeks.”
The Giannoulias campaign didn’t respond to our request for comment.
Meanwhile, Rep. Dan Brady (R-Bloomington) yesterday accused former U.S. Attorney John Milhiser of skipping Republican debates.
"Today, I learned that John Milhiser has declined interviews with WTTW, WGLT, and WCBU,” Brady said in a statement yesterday. “I am disappointed that John is hiding from the media, but I am not surprised. I am the only candidate who will improve wait time at driver services. I am the only candidate who has a record of supporting the department’s police force and that is why I have been endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police. Unlike Hiding John, I look forward to discussing how I will improve the Secretary’s Office with WTTW, WGLT, and WCBU."
Milhiser just got $500,000 of Ken Griffin dollars from the Irvin campaign to launch a TV campaign.
Milhiser’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment.