Following repeated refusals on the part of the Cortez Masto campaign to negotiate a debate schedule in good faith, the Dr. Joe Heck for U.S. Senate campaign today took steps to ensure the candidates will meet in a televised debate. The Heck campaign announced it accepted the invitation from KLAS TV 8 CBS and KINC TV 15 Univision/Entravision for a joint debate in Las Vegas, and insists on debates hosted by the Nevada Broadcasters Association (NVBA) for a debate in Reno and the public affairs show Nevada NewsMakers for a debate in Elko.

“From the start, Joe Heck was committed to ensuring all Nevadans have the opportunity to see their U.S. Senate candidates meet in statewide televised debates on the issues. Despite the Cortez Masto campaign’s complete unwillingness to negotiate, today’s announcement by the Heck campaign ensures that commitment will be honored,” said Heck spokesperson Brian Baluta.

The KLAS, KINC debate will be broadcast in English and Spanish, as well as carried by KTVN TV 2 CBS in Reno and livestreamed on the web.

The NVBA and Nevada NewsMakers debates will be broadcast statewide on television and radio, including, in the case of the NVBA, all Spanish-language outlets in Nevada.

“The Heck campaign is eager to work with our broadcast partners and the Cortez Masto campaign to finalize the schedule and to meet on the debate stage,” said Baluta.

 

Letter to Cortez Masto campaign follows:

Scott Fairchild
Campaign Manager
Catherine Cortez Masto for Senate
8020 South Rainbow Blvd. Suite 100-112
Las Vegas, Nevada 89139

 

Mr. Fairchild,

Since you have ignored repeated requests to negotiate a debate schedule in good faith and have responded only with non-negotiable demands for our campaign, as well as the would-be hosts, the following represents our final attempt to ensure Nevada will have televised U.S. Senate debates broadcast statewide.

We have accepted the invitation from KLAS TV 8 CBS and KINC TV 15 Univision/Entravision for a joint debate in Las Vegas, which will be broadcast in English and Spanish, as well as carried by KTVN TV 2 CBS in Reno and livestreamed on the web. This is in keeping with your request to hold a debate hosted by a Spanish-language outlet. Given that you are apparently unwilling to communicate with our campaign, we will work with the broadcast partners to coordinate the final details.

To reach all Nevadans, we also insist on debates hosted by the Nevada Broadcasters Association (NVBA) in Reno and the public affairs show Nevada NewsMakers in Elko. The NVBA and Nevada NewsMakers debates will be broadcast statewide on television and radio, including, in the case of the NVBA, all Spanish-language outlets in Nevada. Again, given your apparent unwillingness to meet to discuss these arrangements, we will work with the broadcast partners to finalize details.

Sincerely,

James Langenderfer
Campaign Manager
Dr. Joe Heck for U.S. Senate