Debates about-face

Sean Casten, congressman from the 6th District, you have completely changed your tune on debates. One of your key campaign issues when running against then-Congressman Peter Roskam was demanding a debate in each of the five counties of the district.

Now that you are in office, you seem to no longer believe that. You have only agreed to one debate before the upcoming election. What has changed, congressman Casten? Jeanne Ives, your opponent, has repeatedly asked you to schedule the five debates that you once stated were "necessary."

"Debates are healthy and important for our democracy, and voters demand them because they want to participate in the election process." Congressman Casten does this quote of yours no longer hold true, just two years since you yourself wrote it?

Without debates, some voters won't have an opportunity to hear about your voting record and learn that according to a ranking of Congressional vote records from the nonpartisan Lugar Center and Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy, you congressman Casten were ranked among the most partisan Congressmen in 2019. Your claims of being an independent and moderate are baseless, as you've also been ranked more liberal than Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in your actual voting record.

I urge all independent voters living in the 6th Congressional District to please take note and contact congressman Casten's office asking him to move forward with a fair and sensible debate schedule, allowing for voters to hear directly from both candidates running in this very important race.

Lisa Moran

Palatine