Lindstrom challenges GOP rivals
Senate hopeful demands primary debate for chance against Warren
Republican U.S. Senate hopeful Beth Lindstrom is issuing a debate challenge to her primary opponents, saying it’s time for voters to decide which candidate deserves the right to take on U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
“We are willing and ready to sign on to any dates as asked,” Lindstrom said in an interview on the “Battenfeld” show on Boston Herald Radio. “I’m hoping my opponents will jump in.”
With less than four months to go before the primary, there are currently no scheduled debates in the Republican race.
State Rep. Geoff Diehl, who earned the Republican Party endorsement last month, has yet to sign off on any proposed debates offered by several media outlets.
A spokeswoman for Diehl said he will agree to debate his opponents sometime before the Sept. 4 primary.
The Boston Herald has offered a number of proposed debate dates to the Diehl campaign, but so far the campaign hasn’t accepted any.
“Geoff will debate,” spokeswoman Holly Robichaud said. “He is the only candidate with a proven track record of standing up for the working people of Massachusetts.”
The other Republican in the race, businessman John Kingston, has also agreed to participate in debates, according to a campaign spokesman.
“John is absolutely ready and willing to debate the issues and the candidates’ differing visions and capacity to win in November,” Kingston spokesman Jon Conradi said. “John looks forward to facing his opponents on stage and showing GOP primary voters why he is the best positioned to defeat Sen. Warren this fall.”
Kingston and Lindstrom both earned spots on the primary ballot with their showing at last month’s GOP convention.
But Lindstrom is most aggressively pursuing debates, hoping to catch fire with voters before summer vacation season starts.
“We do need to put some (debates) on the calendar for June, for sure,” Lindstrom said in the Herald Radio interview. “The others should just secure the dates and let’s get the conversation going.”
Lindstrom said it’s important for the candidates to hold debates because they will give them critical media exposure.
All three GOP candidates are far behind Warren in fundraising, and lack the name recognition and star power that the Democratic incumbent brings to the contest.
The conservative Diehl is best known among Republican voters, and served as Donald Trump’s Massachusetts campaign cochairman in the 2016 election. Diehl on Monday night held a fundraiser with Maine Gov. Paul LePage.