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Congressional candidates' face-off is up for debate
Lesley Stedman Weidenbener
Louisville Courier-Journal
May 21, 2006
INDIANAPOLIS -- The debate about debates in the 9th Congressional District race is already heating up -- more than five months before the election.
But that doesn't mean Republican incumbent Mike Sodrel, Democrat Baron Hill or Libertarian Eric Schansberg will go head to head to head anytime soon.
Hill, who held the congressional seat until 2004 when Sodrel defeated him, issued a debate challenge just after the primary. He wanted to talk about high gas prices.
Sodrel wasn't interested -- at least not yet.
So Hill held a news conference to give him a hard time about it in the media. The Sodrel team thought that was a bit ironic since it was the Republican a couple of years ago pushing hard for debates.
Then, Schansberg said he issued his own debate challenge, this one to Hill. According to Schansberg, the Democrat wasn't interested.
Well, at least not yet.
A debate this early in a race that is expected to be so close is almost unheard of. So it's no surprise that despite the early offers of debates, none has been taken up.
Will the candidates debate later? That remains to be seen.
Typically, the incumbent controls whether debates happen. That's because the events often favor challengers, who get what is sometimes much-needed publicity from them.
Also, they provide a forum for challengers to attack an incumbent's record and for the incumbent to look silly if he doesn't defend himself.
But this race is a little different.
Although Sodrel is the incumbent, Hill served in Congress for six years not very long ago. That means both men have records and both can take on the incumbent or challenger-type role whenever it suits them.
And it's likely that neither Sodrel nor Hill will need additional publicity. The race will undoubtedly receive tremendous attention in the local and national media, and both candidates will have deep pockets to pay for whatever advertising they want.
Schansberg, though, will likely be looking for a little attention.
Sodrel's chief of staff, Cam Savage, said the Republican wants to attend "multiple debates." And it's likely Hill and Schansberg will want the same.
The real question will likely be whether any debates that develop will include Schansberg.
After all, his chance of winning the race is slim to none, but his chance of affecting it is quite large.
In 2004, Sodrel had only about 1,400 more votes than Hill. So even if Schansberg takes just 2 percent or 3 percent or 4 percent of the vote, he could determine the outcome of the race.
Also, Schansberg is a professor, economist, prolific writer and articulate speaker. So it's possible that he could hurt both of his opponents in a debate or at least stir up some issues that neither really wants to address.
Usually, the major candidates in a race settle the debate rules among themselves, and then some sponsor will almost certainly step up and accept their terms. So Hill and Sodrel might be the ones to decide whether Schansberg is included.
Regardless, those decisions -- and any ensuing debates -- remain months away.
Lesley Stedman Weidenbener's column appears on Sundays. She can be reached at (317) 444-2780 or at lstedman@courier-journal.com. Her mailing address is 200 W. Washington St., Suite M11, Indianapolis, Ind. 46204.
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