DES MOINES, Iowa – U.S. Rep. Abby Finkenauer, D-Iowa, declined additional debates in Iowa’s 1st Congressional District race. The freshman congresswoman turned down an invitation by KCRG TV-9 to debate her Republican challenger, State Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Marion, citing a busy fall schedule, the ABC affiliate in Cedar Rapids, Iowa reported.
Watch:
Finkenauer and Hinson faced off on Iowa Press on September 7, but have not debated since. U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne, D-Iowa, and her Republican challenger, former U.S. Rep. David Young, have agreed to debate four times. In Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District race, State Senator Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Ottumwa, and former State Senator Rita Hart, D-Wheatland, have debated once with two more debates scheduled. State Senator Randy Feenstra, R-Hull, has declined to debate his Democratic opponent, J.D. Scholten, in Iowa’s 4th Congressional District race.
“I’m deeply disappointed in Congresswoman Finkenauer, and the voters I talk to every day in the First District agree with me. We need to debate the issues that matter to them. I don’t understand why Congresswoman Finkenauer has decided to disrespect the very voters that sent her to Washington. The Congresswoman should explain what exactly is keeping her so busy, because it’s pretty clear right now that Washington is getting nothing done,” Hinson said in a released statement.
Hinson, before running for the Iowa House in 2016, was an anchor for KCRG.
The Hinson campaign has attempted to prod Finkenauer into debating more, launching the website LeftyChickenauer.com. Hinson has agreed to offers from KWWL, Iowa’s News Now, and KCRG providing a variety of different dates and times.