Fetterman declines debate invite at Muhlenberg College
The April 3 debate for Democratic U.S. candidates will go on.
Lt. Gov. John Fetterman will not attend Sunday’s Democratic U.S. Senate debate at Muhlenberg College, the college announced Friday.
Fetterman was among three front runners invited to debate policy issues. Candidates state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, who represents the 181st House district, and U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb, who represents Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District, accepted invitations.
Muhlenberg had not heard back from Fetterman’s attendance and set a 5 p.m. Thursday deadline to decide.
Kristine Todaro, director of News & Media relations at Muhlenberg, said Fetterman’s campaign got back to the college this afternoon.
“We’re disappointed, obviously,” she said. “But we are very excited about hosting the other candidates.”
Muhlenberg did not get can explanation on the decline. But Fetterman’s campaign issued a press release stating he has accepted three other debate invitations.
One is in Harrisburg on April 21 at WHTM in Harrisburg. A second will take place on April 25 and is being sponsored by Spotlight PA and others. A third will take place in early May and involves an unnamed television station, the press release said.
Fetterman’s decision not to debate at Muhlenberg comes as a new poll by The Hill and Emerson College shows him with a 33.4% support among Democratic primary voters versus 10% for Lamb and 7.6% for Kenyatta.
Muhlenberg’s debate will continue, Todaro said.
It will be held in front of an invited audience 3-4:30 p.m. April 3. It will also be broadcast by PCN and viewable without a paywall. Muhlenberg will also provide a link.
The debate is being hosted by City & State PA, Pennsylvania Kitchen Table Politics and the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion as well as by the student organizations Muhlenberg College Democrats and The Muhlenberg Weekly.
Moderators are Christopher Borick, professor of political science and director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion, Jenny DeHuff, editor-in-chief of City & State PA, and Ari Mittleman, founder and host of Pennsylvania Kitchen Table Politics.
The debate comes as five Democrats and seven Republicans filed petitions to run for the seat held by U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, a Republican who is not seeking re-election.
The other Democrats who have filed are Kevin Baumlin and Alexandria Khalil. Only the front-runners were invited to the debate, according to City & State PA.
Republicans who have filed are: Kathy Barnette, Jeffrey Bartos, Mehmet Oz, Carla Herd Sands, David McCormick, Sean Gale and George Bochetto.
For more on the Senate race and candidates who announced their attention to run, read City & State PA’s story here.
Persons interested in submitting questions for Sunday’s debate and learning more about it can click here: U.S. Senate Democratic Debate.