(Dubuque, IA) On Wednesday Congressman Rod Blum (R-Iowa) challenged Democrat opponent Monica Vernon to a series of 10 public debates throughout Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, beginning in Cedar Rapids in August.
Blum proposed holding two debates in Cedar Rapids and the Cedar Valley; one debate each in Dubuque, Marshalltown, Grinnell, and Decorah; and two more in rural areas to be determined by the campaigns.
Congressman Blum’s campaign has offered to work closely with the Vernon campaign to organize the ten debates and to come to mutual agreement on the terms and structure of the debates.
In a letter to the Vernon campaign, Congressman Blum wrote:
“This election should be an honest contest of ideas, and I hope you’ll accept this offer to give the voters of the First District an opportunity to hear for themselves about our differing visions for America. Iowans deserve to know where we each stand on the issues involving our federal government and how we believe we can best move our country forward.”