Will IL Republicans Bost and Davis debate their Democratic challengers despite COVID?
Debates are in the works for downstate congressional candidates, but with more than the usual nitpicking over details as campaign organizers disagree over safety precautions and format.
Coveted by challengers as opportunities to grab visibility and reduce advantages incumbents enjoy, debates have become riskier amid the coronavirus pandemic, and their relevance comes into question during an expected surge in early voting and voting by mail.
But with traditional campaign events canceled and the public’s chances for face-time with candidates scarce, debates will become one of the key methods for reaching voters, said Andrew Theising, a political science professor at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
“The door-to-door component of elections is gone, and so there needs to be some better outreach,” Theising said, “and to me these debates are going to have to fill that gap. I think regardless of how these are staged, it is important that they happen.”
A scuffle between campaigns in one of Illinois’ most competitive congressional races this week demonstrated the delicate nature of debates in the time of COVID-19.
Rodney Davis, the three-term Republican from Taylorville who represents the 13th Congressional District, refused to participate in a virtual debate in Champaign-Urbana hosted by public broadcasting station WILL, saying voters deserve to see their candidates in person. Davis, 50, faces two-time challenger Betsy Dirksen Londrigan of Springfield in the Nov. 3 election.
“In-person debates offer the best means for a genuine and substantive back-and-forth discussion of the issues,” Davis said, “and I am confident they can be held safely and responsibly, even in this pandemic. Debates held virtually do not offer the same level of quality discussion as in-person debates.”
“I’ve always said if we expect frontline workers to go to work every day in this pandemic, elected officials should do the same,” Davis said.
Davis recovered from coronavirus earlier this month and Londrigan quarantined for two weeks after an exposure in March.
Londrigan, a 49-year-old self-employed nonprofit advisor, is willing to debate in-person with precautions, but accepted WILL’s recommendation to hold a virtual debate, said Eliza Glezer, campaign spokeswoman.
“Davis’ comparison of himself showing up to in-person debates with frontline workers showing up to save lives amidst a global pandemic is insulting to the frontline workers who put themselves at risk every day for our communities,” Glezer said.
WILL has hosted a 13th Congressional District debate every other year since 2012, including a debate between Davis and Londrigan in 2018, said Kimberlie Kranich, director of engagement and educational outreach. They intend to host a virtual candidate forum in one shape or another on Oct. 5.
“The safety of our student crew members and staff is of the highest priority,” Kranich wrote in an email. “It is our hope that we can come to an agreement with both campaigns on an approach that best serves the constituents of the 13th Congressional District in making an informed decision when casting their vote in the upcoming election, while also keeping everyone safe.”
Davis is committed to a safe, in-person debate, said campaign spokesman Aaron DeGroot.
“We’re a month to a month and a half away from those right now. There’s ample time to make the necessary preparations,” DeGroot said.
Additional debates are in the works for Springfield and Bloomington-Normal, he added, but details had not been finalized.
Debates uncertain in Bost’s district
Debates are also uncertain in the solidly Republican 12th Congressional District, which encompasses southernmost Illinois and most of the metro-east. Three-term incumbent GOP U.S. Rep. Mike Bost of Murphysboro hasn’t committed to participating.
“He’s hiding behind his donor base and trying to ride this out without even talking about the crises before us,” said Raymond Lenzi, the Democratic nominee from Makanda.
Bost is focusing on his job in Washington, D.C., said campaign manager Myles Nelson.
“We understand that our opponent is desperate to debate because he thinks that the political sniping will make him relevant and legitimize his failed campaign,” Nelson wrote in an email. “The fact of the matter is Mike Bost is focused on doing his job and finding solutions for the health challenges of COVID-19, getting Southern Illinoisans back to work, and addressing issues of unrest and violence in our streets. That’s what the people of Southern Illinois elected him to do, and everything else is secondary right now.”
Lenzi, 73, says he would debate personally or virtually as long as safety precautions were in place. The retired economic development chancellor for Southern Illinois University said his campaign has reached out to but not heard from Bost.
Bost, 59, has faced criticism for evading traditional town halls and debates open to the public. When he ran for re-election in 2018, he participated in televised debates with Democratic nominee Brendan Kelly but didn’t attend one open to the public, citing a scheduling conflict and worries about disruptions from the audience.
It’s normally in the incumbent’s interest to avoid debates, Theising said.
“The advantage always goes to the incumbent. So, if there’s not a lot of information, not a lot of debate going out, that tends to give a slight advantage to the incumbent,” Theising said. “I would not be surprised if it were incumbents who were saying, ‘Let’s not debate. Let’s just let voters make up their mind on their own.’ ... It doesn’t upset their position as much.”
Though twice as many voters could cast their ballots early in some Illinois counties this year as in 2016, debates will still be important to those who haven’t decided yet, Theising added.
“The undecided voter is the person ... who is probably going to hold off on voting, and so having events closer to Election Day would be helpful.”
This story was originally published August 28, 2020 at 7:00 AM.
