The media shouldn’t exclude the perspectives of other Senate hopefuls

POLITICO, FOX 11 Los Angeles and USC Dornsife have decided, based on an at-best flawed poll, who to include and exclude from the first major debate in California’s critically important U.S. Senate Race to replace the late Dianne Feinstein. This decision also lacked transparency, as organizers did not provide clear criteria to qualify for the debate.

So who made the cut? No surprise here: Three far-left establishment Democrats — Adam Schiff, Katie Porter and Barbara Lee — and the political non-entity Steve Garvey, who has been hiding from the public for months while he talks baseball.

And who was conveniently excluded? Among others, two polling candidates who represent the ideological diversity of our state: Eric Early, the only Conservative Republican who openly supports Donald Trump, who tied for 5th in the poll; and Christina Pascucci, the only major moderate Democrat in the race, who came in sixth in the poll and who believes the future of our country is at stake as we keep electing the same leaders who have created the problems we see.

With 27 candidates in the race, many will inevitably be excluded from the stage. However, this decision to limit the debate to only the purported top 4 hurts California voters the most, as many polls indicate that nearly 40% of voters — about 9 million people — have not made up their minds yet. These are the voters who would benefit the most from a fair, unbiased debate that showcases the diverse views and visions of the candidates.

POLITICO’s decision to exclude these candidates from the January 22 debate also lacked transparency. Organizers did not provide any clear or consistent criteria for the selection process. This raised questions about the fairness and legitimacy of the debate, as well as the role of the media in shaping public opinion.

The failure of POLITICO to fairly present what it is flippantly calling a “clash in Los Angeles with the biggest names in the Democratic Party” is not surprising, given what their real intentions are: clear the way for the leader of the left-wing California Democrats, Adam Schiff, to glide through the Primary and the General. Why else would these outlets limit the debate to three Democrats with nearly identical voting records, joined by the least tested or experienced Republican candidate for statewide office in the modern era?

Many Californians are leaving the state because of the high cost of living and the lack of political representation. Four in 10 voters are not satisfied with the current leadership and want a change. No one on that stage will be advancing Early’s important conservative platform: Immigration: close the borders. Inflation: drill, baby, drill. Indoctrination: schools are for learning, not social agendas. Israel: full support of our friend and opposition to the terrorists. Incarceration: put the bad guys in jail.

And there will be no one on stage advancing Pascucci’s moderate Democratic platform: Crisis at the Border: enact real solutions including ending failed policies that encourage illegal migration, a more effective path to citizenship for immigrants, and addressing the immigration pipeline long before it hits our borders. Economic Boost: stimulate the economy by cutting taxes and regulation, and empower small businesses to thrive, rather than pushing them out of the state. Homelessness: expose and end wasteful spending, cut regulations around affordable housing, and support foster youth who make up half of the homeless population.

We deserve better than to have our minds and the information we receive about this race completely and underhandedly controlled by a powerful media organization intent on preserving California’s three decades of failure, brought to us by the Establishment of the Democratic Party. That is not how a democracy works.