The last time we wrote about the lack of Republican candidates at an election forum, it was at an event organized by the Southern Arizona Black Chamber of Commerce. Democrats showed, but no Republicans.

Ken Moyes, a campaign volunteer for Frank Antenori, David Gowan and Ted Vogt, claimed the whole thing was “designed to be a setup.”

Now, there’s been another Republican no-show case.

According to a press released by Democrat Todd Camenisch’s campaign, he was ready to debate his Republican opponent, Frank Antenori, in Sierra Vista on Sept. 22, but the forum was cancelled due to the lack of response from Republican candidates—with the exception of Vogt, who said he had a conflict that day.

Yeah, I know, that big, bad League of Women voters is just searching for ways to make Republicans look like idiots. Whatever.

Here’s the press release:

Republican candidates in Legislative District 30 have given the cold shoulder to at least one public debate and possibly any future debates, which Democrat Todd Camenisch says shuts voters out of making informed decisions before they vote in the Nov. 2 general election.

Camenisch was prepared to debate Republican incumbent state Sen. Frank Antenori in Sierra Vista on Sept. 22. Camenisch was notified Thursday morning (Sept. 16) that the LD 30 forum there has been cancelled.

“Legally, we cannot hold a Forum without any opponents,” Shirley Bellamy of the League of Women Voters wrote in an email notice of the cancellation.

“Although I’ve tried to contact (Antenori and other GOP candidates) with emails and phone calls several times … I’ve gotten only one response, that from (Rep. Ted) Vogt, who declined due to other commitments,” Bellamy wrote.

News of the cancellation stunned Camenisch, who plans on being at the site of the forum, the Sierra Vista Public Library, 2600 E. Tacoma, Sept. 22 from 6 to 8:30 p.m., to meet voters.

“The Republicans are exploiting technicalities, such as the fact that the League of Women Voters cannot legally hold a forum without any opponents, to close down open debate, which is one of the basic cornerstones of democracy,” Camenisch said Thursday.

“I believe the silent treatment that the voters are getting from my opponent is an insult to voters,” Camenisch said. “This shows how little my opponent thinks of the constituents that he purportedly serves.”

Camenisch will continue to reach out to voters in LD 30. He is scheduled to appear Thursday afternoon on the John C. Scott show on local radio talk station KJLL, “The Jolt,” AM 1330, where he will discuss the debate boycott and other issues he believes are of a concern to voters.

This article appears in Sep 16-22, 2010.

8 replies on “Hey, GOP: Is This a Setup?”

  1. Well, Mari Herreras, there has almost invariably been a fascist impulse with these things during such times…

    But this is USA, it can’t happen here…

  3. What good fortune for Sierra Vista voters… a chance to visit with and question Todd Camenisch at the local library without the usual posturing by appointed State Senator Antenori.

  4. Anyone who is thinking of voting for Antenori should RECONSIDER! He is uninterested in presenting his ideas or hearing the concerns of his constituents. Why is his hiding? This should give everyone a clue that he DOESN”T REPRESENT the views of the people in LD30.

  5. Todd Camenisch knows his stuff and everytime I meet his constituents from the Catalina Foothills School District, they smile and talk about the good job Todd has been doing for them–people from all political parties! When I talk with Antenori’s constituents, they grimace and snarl, and make statements, such as “We gotta get rid of him!” They feel betrayed by this self-proclaimed “education” candidate who turned into an anti-education representative and appointed senator who has voted against education 100% of the time. I, too, would be afraid to face Todd if I had that record.

    Or, maybe Antenori is just following the Phoenix political mob’s marching orders and not debating unless forced to by Clean Election rules.

  6. How are we suppose to truly understand the positions of any candidate unless they present their views in a public setting? I find out more about a candidates views from seeing and listening to a “debate” or a forum. Why are the Republican candidates not using these events to allow their constituents access to their ideas? I believe in being an informed voter and it is getting much harder to find out what is real and what is a controlled message. I want face time in a public setting please!!

  7. The whole point of democracy is that voters have the opportunity to learn about candidates and their positions so that they can make informed decisions about who they want to be their representative in the government. Any time I hear about someone trying to shut down communication – whether it’s boycotting a debate or censoring a newspaper – a danger signal goes off in my head. People say Antenori is anti-government. I think he’s anti-democracy.

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