Sen. Arlen Specter once said, “Voting is fundamental in our democracy. It has yielded enormous returns.”
The senator faces what might be the toughest election of his career. We join the senator in believing that voting is critical to democracy, but it also is critical to have an educated electorate.
In this vein, we call on Specter to hold a debate against challenger U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak, D-Delaware County, in the midstate.
Public television station WITF in Harrisburg already has extended an offer to both candidates. So far, only Joe Sestak has accepted.
Similarly, G. Terry Madonna of Franklin & Marshall College, one of the most respected professors of Pennsylvania politics, offered to host a forum in Lancaster that would be broadcast on WGAL-TV.
Both of these offers come from highly respected, nonpartisan organizations. Yet so far Specter has agreed only to one debate with Sestak in Philadelphia. That is a start, but it underscores the perception that Specter is the “Philadelphia senator.”
We encourage the senator to accept one of the forum offers here in the midstate, an area that is likely to be crucial in his re-election bid.
Despite central Pennsylvania’s conservative reputation, polling numbers and 2008 election voting patterns reveal a more nuanced political landscape.
The Harrisburg area is home to many swing and cross-party voters as evidenced by the re-election of Democrat Tim Holden in a district that was gerrymandered to favor GOP candidates.
Tags: Arlen Specter, Joe Sestak
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