There will be a Ninth Congressional District debate at the Bedford Area High School on April 8, but according to Shuster’s campaign chairman Ray Zaborney, only one of the candidates will be there.
Zaborney said he has agreed to sit in for the incumbent as Shuster will be presenting grant money in Fayette County during the scheduled debate.
“I think it’s a stretch to call this a debate. It’s really more of a candidate’s forum,” said Zaborney. “Congressman Shuster is not expected to be there because of a commitment in Fayette County where he’ll be presenting grant money that evening.
“A representative, myself, will appear (in Bedford) on the congressman’s behalf,” Zaborney told The Daily Herald. “Congressman Shuster is busy doing his job and that’s something DelGrosso is not used to.”
Justin Meyer, Michael DelGrosso’s campaign chairman, told The Daily Herald this morning that is not the case.
“Michael agreed to the terms of the debate that he would debate Shuster, not a campaign manager,” said Meyer. “I spoke with the organizer of the debate last evening and he said Shuster would be there. I don’t know where all this is coming from.”
The debate is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the Bedford Area High School Auditorium. Scott Graham, principal of Everett High School, and Terry Barefoot, principal of Bedford High School, have agreed to moderate the debate. It will be open to the public.
DelGrosso said in a press release issued to The Daily Herald that the debate is at “a great time of day in a perfect place, and said the forum fulfills a pledge to debate his opponent “anywhere, anytime.”
“A weekday evening at 7 p.m. is a great hour for folks to be able to attend,” said DelGrosso. “The Bedford Area High School is not only a convenient location; it also allows many voters to attend in person. The Blair county debate later in the month is scheduled for early in the morning with a late-night televised replay. That schedule will be very difficult for people in the rural counties of the district to view.”
DelGrosso added, “I’m thankful to the people of Bedford County for organizing this debate, and to both Mr. Graham and Mr. Barefoot for agreeing to moderate. The voters deserve to be able to hear the difference in their candidates, and I’m pleased to be able to address the issues with any voters I may have missed in my 10,000 door-to-door campaign.”
The Bedford event is set for about a week and half prior to the only other scheduled debate. The Blair County Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring the sold-out event set for April 19 at 8:30 a.m. at the Blair County Convention Center.
(Editor G. Kerry Webster contributed to this article.)
