Debates set for Senate, governor
With less than a month to go until the Nov. 2 election, a handful of debates remain for candidates for U.S. Senate and governor.
In the Senate race, a debate between Democrat Alexi Giannoulias and Republican Mark Kirk will air at 10:30 p.m. Oct. 19 on ABC7. It will be moderated by “Good Morning America host George Stephanopoulos and Andy Shaw from the Better Government Association, ABC-7 political reporter Charles Thomas and Daily Herald politics and projects writer Kerry Lester.
The candidates' last scheduled debate is at 7 p.m. Oct. 27 on WTTW-TV Channel 11, moderated by Chicago Tonight host Phil Ponce.
Kirk and Giannoulias, with Green Party candidate LeAlan Jones, also were supposed to take part in a debate on Oct. 21 hosted by Southern Illinois University's Paul Simon Public Policy Institute and a Carbondale TV station. The debate was cancelled this week after Giannoulias pulled out, citing the fact that the Libertarian candidate, Mike Labno, who may function to take away votes from Kirk, was not invited, making Jones' appearance a disadvantage to Giannoulias.
The institute's governor race debate between Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn, Republican state Sen. Bill Brady and Green Party candidate Rich Whitney will take place at 8 p.m. Oct. 14 in Carbondale.
Quinn and Brady also will take part in a debate at 8 p.m. Oct. 17 at Elmhurst College, in the school's Hammerschidt Memorial Chapel, 190 Prospect Ave. That debate, to focus on the state's economic crisis, will be moderated by WBEZ 91.5 FM's Steve Edwards and will be broadcast live on the radio station. Panelists include Ponce of Chicago Tonight, Chicago Tribune editorial page Editor Bruce Dold and college political science Chair Jennifer Boyle.
On Oct. 20, Quinn and Brady will debate at 10:30 p.m. on ABC-7. Anchor Ron Magers will moderate the debate, with Shaw, Thomas, and a third panelist to be named later.
The last debate for the candidates is at 7 p.m. Oct. 28 on WTTW-TV Channel 11, moderated by Chicago Tonight host Carol Marin.