Chuck Fleischmann mulls debate with 3rd District challenger Mary Headrick

photo Chuck Fleischmann
photo Mary Headrick

Republican U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann is "evaluating options" about a debate with Democratic challenger Mary Headrick, a campaign spokesman said. And Fleischmann will decide later this week whether he will make good on a promise to debate Headrick in Tennessee's 3rd Congressional District.

On Aug. 18, WTCI, the local PBS affiliate, and the Times Free Press invited Headrick and Fleischmann to debate. The two needed only to settle on a date.

"We believe the voters in Tennessee's 3rd Congressional District would appreciate an opportunity to hear a vigorous debate of the issues before casting their votes in the general election on Nov. 4," read the letter signed by WTCI President Paul Grove and Times Free Press Editor Alison Gerber.

After weeks of silence from Fleischmann's camp, Headrick on Friday sent Fleischmann and his campaign a letter inviting him to pick the date, saying she would make herself available. During a primary debate, Fleischmann said he would debate Headrick if he won the GOP nomination.

"I look forward to your accepting and setting our debate appointment with WTCI TV and Times Free Press so that you and I can prepare and inform our voters," Headrick wrote."Since the quality of our democracy is determined by an informed and voting electorate, I'm sure you share my commitment to let voters know our differing positions on important issues."

Fleischmann's campaign received the letter Monday, according to senior adviser Brian O'Shaughnessy.

"Between the congressman's obligations to constituents in the district and duties in D.C., he's got to weigh his time for campaigning," O'Shaughnessy said. "Ms. Headrick asked for a response this week, and we plan to have one."

But O'Shaughnessy said Fleischmann was "evaluating our options" about location. He said Headrick pointed to Hamilton County as the population center of the district, but Anderson County is also a large population base, he said.

"We are evaluating our options as to which of those two would be most appropriate," he said.

Arkansas-Tennessee Live Blog

Oak Ridge, Tenn., is in Anderson County.

But Headrick says the campaign is attempting to evade a debate.

"He has not been offered any televised -- reach a lot of voters -- debates in Anderson. It's just a nuisance for the largest media base to travel two and a half hours if they want to hear it. Obviously, he's trying to evade this," Headrick said.

Headrick said she recognized Fleischmann may not want to give her "free publicity" by debating her, but she says voters still need to see the two candidates side by side.

"I know he doesn't want to give me free publicity, but more important than that is letting the voters hear the difference between our views. He wants to link me with Obama and say that I favor big government, and I want to respond to those things," she said.

Vanderbilt University political science professor Bruce Oppenheimer said last week that debating Headrick wouldn't do Fleischmann any favors, because the district is already Republican leaning. Bringing attention to Headrick could bring more Democrats or independents to the polls, he said.

O'Shaughnessy said the Fleischmann campaign would respond by Thursday.

Contact staff writer Louie Brogdon at lbrogdon@timesfreepress.com, at @glbrogdoniv on Twitter or at 423-757-6481.

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