Weston Wamp, Chuck Fleischmann, Ron BhallaIF YOU GOWhat: 3rd Congressional District Republican primary debate sponsored by the Chattanooga Tea Party.Who: Ron Bhalla, U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann and Weston Wamp.When: Saturday. Doors open at 1 p.m.; debate begins at 2 and ends at 3:30.Where: Woodland Park Baptist Church, 6735 Standifer Gap Road.Cost: FreeDEBATE DETAILSCandidates will sit on stools on a stage; a random draw for seat placement will take place before the debate.Moderators are Chattanooga Tea Party member Gregg Juster and WGOW-FM “Live and Local” host Brian Joyce.Some questions will be for all three candidates; others will be tailored to individuals.The moderators will have latitude to ask follow-up questions if clarification or further discussion is needed.Each candidate will have two minutes to answer a question.Attendees are asked to submit questions through the Chattanooga Tea Party’s Facebook page or website.Source: Chattanooga Tea Party
Three Republicans chasing a coveted congressional seat are hoping to impress conservative activists at this weekend’s Chattanooga Tea Party debate.
But also at issue is what Chattanooga Tea Party President Mark West called “the AWOL candidate.”
Two of U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann’s 3rd Congressional District Republican challengers, Ron Bhalla and Weston Wamp, accepted invitations to spar with the first-term congressman during the 90-minute event Saturday at Woodland Park Baptist Church.
Fleischmann’s other GOP opponent, dairy executive Scottie Mayfield, declined to participate. Mayfield also missed a May 23 debate sponsored by the Chattanooga Times Free Press and WRCB-TV. The Athens, Tenn., resident issued a statement in May that said debate attendees “have already made up their minds” about elections.