After news reports yesterday that Perdue declined the Atlanta Press Club, Ossoff offers Perdue a menu of options he has accepted
Perdue already backed out of the final general election debate after Ossoff challenged his record on COVID-19, health care
Ossoff: “I offer the Senator any or all of these six debates, if he has the self-confidence to debate in public.”
Atlanta, Ga. — Today, investigative journalist and Democratic Nominee for the U.S. Senate in Georgia Jon Ossoff confirmed that he has accepted invitations to participate in six televised runoff debates against his opponent Senator David Perdue (R-Ga.). Despite news reports yesterday that Perdue declined at least one of these local news invitations, Ossoff is encouraging Perdue to take his pick from a list of options or meet the moment and accept all six.
Last week, Ossoff challenged Perdue to three live, televised debates throughout Georgia before the runoff election, but after overwhelming interest from news organizations across the Peach State, Ossoff has decided to accept six offers to give Georgia voters a comprehensive chance to hear their candidates debate the issues that matter to them before this consequential runoff election.
Today, Ossoff is accepting runoff debates with:
- WSB-TV (ABC Atlanta)
- The Atlanta Press Club and Georgia Public Broadcasting
- WXIA (NBC Atlanta), WMAZ (CBS Macon), WABE (NPR Atlanta)
- WTOC (CBS Savannah and its Gray TV affiliates statewide)
- WJBF (ABC Augusta and its Nexstar affiliates statewide)
- CNN
Ossoff has run one of the most open and accessible statewide campaigns in Georgia history, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since launching his campaign in September 2019, Ossoff has hosted and attended 33 town hall events.
Last week, to kickoff the runoff election, Ossoff barnstormed the Peach State for a four-day, seven-city tour laying out his vision for the “Future of Georgia,” visiting Atlanta, Macon, Columbus, Albany, Savannah, Augusta, and Athens.
At each stop, Ossoff spoke with the local press and answered questions about his platform for Georgia and what’s at stake on January 5.
Perdue, however, has been one of the least accessible Senators in Georgia history. He has never once held a public town hall since his election to the U.S. Senate, and after his disastrous debate performance in Savannah before the November 3 election, Perdue backed out of the final debatewith Ossoff after Ossoff challenged his record of downplaying the coronavirus, fending off federal investigations, and lying about his position on taking away health care.
“This is one of the most consequential elections in Georgia history, unfolding amidst a health and economic crisis, but it appears Senator Perdue is too much of a coward to defend his record in a public debate. If Senator Perdue doesn’t want to answer questions, that’s fine, he just shouldn’t run for re-election to the U.S. Senate,” Ossoff said. “I offer the Senator any or all of these six debates, if he has the self-confidence to debate in public.”
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