Cuccinelli To Decide if Sarvis Debates

[ShotgunBlast]

I personally feel like if you're on the ballot, you should be in the debate. Virginia has some strict election laws compared to other states that make it tough for 3rd parties (or even Republicans during the 2012 primaries) to get on the ballot, but it does cut both ways by it showing that if you make the cut you're a serious candidate and deserve to be on stage. Having this additional polling mandate for the debates is redundant and not necessary (unless you want to protect the two-party system).

It's a shame that WDBJ made an agreement like this since they are in the news business, but I understand that if they didn't the candidates would just have their debate somewhere else with another station broadcasting it. Technically Sarvis with his 9.8% polling did not meet the 10% requirement at Thursday's cutoff time (but sources say he's polling over 10% now), so as a rule of law guy, it's definitely within KC's right to keep him out, even if it might come off as a d!ckish move. What do you think he'll do?

The sponsor of the final debate of the Virginia governor’s race, citing a public backlash to the Libertarian candidate’s exclusion, has asked the major-party candidates to consider letting him participate. But Robert Sarvis still appears unlikely to be included in the event because of ongoing opposition from Ken Cuccinelli II’s campaign.

Cuccinelli (R) and Terry McAuliffe (D) will meet Thursday at Virginia Tech’s Blacksburg campus for their third debate of the contest, sponsored by WDBJ-TV, the Roanoke CBS affiliate. Sarvis did not make the cut, WDBJ announced Oct. 10, because he failed to meet the threshold established in rules negotiated by Cuccinelli, McAuliffe and WDBJ.

The rules required that Sarvis average at least 10 percent in public polls, a standard he missed by a fraction of a point. (As of Saturday evening, Sarvis’s poll average on the RealClearPolitics Web site was 9.8 percent.)

But on Friday, according to an e-mail obtained by The Washington Post, WDBJ’s news director, Kelly Zuber, wrote to the McAuliffe and Cuccinelli campaigns, “We have received quite a bit of negative reaction to the exclusion” of Sarvis.

“WDBJ7 will live up to the agreement we have with both of your campaigns,” Zuber continued, “but want you to know we would certainly entertain an amendment to the agreement allowing Mr. Sarvis to participate with no restrictions. Our organization is dedicated to providing as much information to the voters as possible.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/vir ... story.html

[SpanishInquisition]

Cooch won't do it. No shock after getting Bolling out of a primary.

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[Remek]

I do also wish Sarvis was allowed. It's just another symptom of what is wrong in politics.

From Cooch's stance though, I see no benefit, so if I were him, I'd likely do the same thing. He is certainly already afraid he is losing almost 10% of the vote to him, and letting him get a wider audience would only hurt him more.

I agree with the opinion though, if you are on the ballot, you should be allowed in all debates.