Blackburn agrees to second debate against Bredesen
Republican U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn has agreed to a second televised debate against Democrat Phil Bredesen in Tennessee’s U.S. Senate race, days after committing to her first and declining another invitation.
The Blackburn campaign announced Wednesday she will participate in an Oct. 10 debate in Knoxville hosted by the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy and Nextar Media Group.
Partners include WKRN (Nashville), WATE (Knoxville), WATN (Memphis), WJHL (Tri Cities) and WJKT (Jackson).
“From immigration to taxes, Phil Bredesen and I have serious policy differences that will drastically affect how Tennesseans are represented in the United States Senate,” said Blackburn, R-Brentwood, adding that she looks forward to “highlighting our significant policy differences.”
After previously being noncommittal about which debates she would take part in, Blackburn on Monday committed to participate in a Sept. 25 debate in Lebanon hosted by The Tennessean, the League of Women Voters of Tennessee, NewsChannel5, Nashville Public Television and Cumberland University.
Citing her schedule, Blackburn declined an invitation from Rhodes College in Memphis for a Sept. 13 debate hosted by The Commercial Appeal and WMC-TV.
Bredesen, a former governor of Tennessee, has agreed to a four-debate schedule that also includes an Oct. 1 debate in Chattanooga hosted by the Chattanooga Times Free Press in addition to the events in Knoxville, Lebanon and the one previously scheduled for Memphis.
“The contrast between the candidates will be on display,” Bredesen press secretary Alyssa Hansen said, later calling on Blackburn to reconsider her decision about the Memphis debate.
“Memphis is just as important as the rest of the state, and we hope that Congressman Blackburn feels the same way and reconsiders,” Hansen said.
The Blackburn campaign has not said whether she will take part in the Chattanooga event.
A campaign spokeswoman did not immediately reply to a question about whether Blackburn’s debate schedule is now final.
Reach Joey Garrison at jgarrison@tennessean.com or 615-259-8236 and on Twitter @joeygarrison.