An open invitation to other candidates for a debate

We’Äôve all participated in candidate forums and know their importance in legislative races, but because of the large number of candidates and the limited time, forums really don’Äôt offer enough time for candidate to fully express their views and positions on issues important to them.

So in the interest of letting the folks of Sanders County know what their candidates political policy is, their concerns on behalf of the people, and what they plan to do about those concerns when elected, I am inviting you as fellow candidates for HD 13 to participate with me in a couple of ’ÄúLincoln-Douglas debates.’Äù Lincoln ’ÄìDouglas debates, of course, are named after the famous series of debates between Abe Lincoln and Steven A. Douglas in their 1858 Illinois race for United States Senator.

Those debates lasted for three hours ’Äìours won’Äôt.

The only participants are the candidates and the only official is a timekeeper/coin tosser; perhaps someone from Toastmasters or Tom Eggensperger would be willing to take that job on. I am proposing that we each have a 15 minute opening statement, 10 minutes to respond to each others’Äô opening statements, and a five minute wrap up. The order of speaking would be decided by a coin toss.

I hope you agree with me that this is a worthwhile thing to do for the benefit of the Sanders County folks we’Äôre hoping to represent in Helena. It’Äôs just another part of our job interview.

Give me a call and we’Äôll set it up. I’Äôm looking forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Jim Elliott

Candidate for House District 13