Senator Robert Jubelirer responded to the challenge to a series of debates by his Democratic challenger Stacey Brumbaugh with a letter to the candidate yesterday.
Jubelirer, the Senate Pro Tempore and Lieutenant Governor said in his letter to Brumbaugh that was released to The Daily Herald and other media outlets.
This is the letter Jubelirer sent to Brumbaugh.
I certainly agree that a candidate has an obligation to let the voters know about their qualifications, positions and priorities. Having run more than a few successful election efforts, I have demonstrated my committment on that score.
Over the course of the current campaign, I have sustained a quite active schedule in the district — numerous constituent meetings, community tours, inspections to look at problems first hand, project announcements, speaking engagements and question and answer sessions with a wide range of groups. Contrary to your unsupported comments, I am accessible and accountable.
In addition, people have easy access to my voting record and all my public statements. Not everyone will agree with my votes or my positions on issues, but people are aware of my work representing the area. My committment to the communities in the area and my record of results in securing funding and projects are well known.
In contrast, you have not given the voters much to work with in terms of your specific views or plans for action. The responsibility for doing do is yours. I am not compelled to help you fill in the numerous blanks still existing in your presentation on issues and policies. Most of what you have said for publication consists of broad-brush inaccurate statements about my record that you seem to hope will become viewed as true if repeated often enough.
For example, you have been quoted attempting to tie me to the big cities. Ironically, I was just profiled in the magazine published by the rural electric cooperatives, under the headline “Legislative Guardian of Rural Interests. That illustrates the wide gap between your rhetoric nd the reality of my record of advocacy and results.
In the weeks remaining before the election, I will continue to be quite active and highly visible in the district. I will certainly consider any invitation for an appearance, as is always the case. It is even possible that we end up at the same time, in the same place, in front of the same audience.
You also know that the General Assembly will be in regular session and in special session the next several weeks. I have seen your references to the time I spend in Harrisburg. My first obligation is toward representing the views and interests of the district, the families and communities that make up the distirct. That is what legislators are elected to do, and I do the job I am privileged to hold with the same level of dedication and determination now as when I began.
The Daily Herald was unable to reach anyone from the Brumbaugh campaign for a response.
