By: Press

For Immediate Release

August 28, 2010

TEAGUE CONTINUES TO INSULT HIS CONSTITUENTS

Refuses to Debate Pearce on ALL the Issues that Matter to New Mexicans

HOBBS, NM – After weeks of requests by Steve Pearce for public debates on the issues facing New Mexicans, Harry Teague finally released an answer.  Unfortunately, Teague will only agree to three debates on three restricted topics.

Pearce campaign manager Jason Heffley released the following statement:
 
“We are happy that Congressman Teague finally decided to respond to our request to debate. This is typical Harry Teague - afraid to speak to voters in an open forum. He proposes debates on narrow subjects so his staff can write answers. We accept his offer but we refuse to restrict the questions to only pre-approved topics written by Teague’s staff. Voters deserve to hear from both candidates on a wide range of issues. KOAT’s debate will be held after early and absentee voting are over, should those voters be disenfranchised?  Pearce and Teague should debate next week. Pearce has proposed debates to be held after Teague's meetings in Carlsbad, Las Cruces and Los Lunas. They will both be there and it will not interfere with his Congressional schedule.

We agree to debate on the three dates Teague selected.  However, we insist on 2 hour formats and a wide range of topics and questions randomly selected from New Mexico voters.  We also suggest that instead of the Artesia location for the October 4 debate that Teague simply agrees to a candidate forum that they have both already been invited to participate in at The New Mexico Oil and Gas Association's annual meeting in Santa Fe that same day. Pearce would also like to debate every week of October. Why Teague believes in having fewer debates can only be explained by his reluctance to explain his terrible economic polices that are destroying jobs in Southern New Mexico."

On Friday, Pearce offered to accommodate Teague’s schedule and join him after his previously scheduled Small Business Workshops next week to discuss jobs and the economy.

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