Rep. Steve King Refuses Debate in Ames with Christie Vilsack After Rebuff of Lincoln/Douglas Format

Iowa Congressman Steve King called off a Sept. 22 debate against Christie Vilsack in Ames, his competitor for Iowa's new 4th District, because sponsors wouldn't agree to the debate style of his choosing.

King wanted a conversational debate, and sponsors including the and wanted questions to be posed by panelists.

“I proposed the Ames debate from the beginning as a Lincoln/Douglas style debate for two reasons; this style presents the opportunity for the most neutral, transparent setting possible, and the Lincoln/Douglas debates have long been recognized as the most famous, effective, and fair in our nation's history,” King said in a statement released by his campaign.

Sam Roecker, of Vilsack's campaign, said King's campaign also wanted debate tickets to be controlled by the parties rather than leaving the event open to all.

A letter from Iowa State University, The Ames Tribune, The League of Women Voters, and the Ames Chamber of Commerce said:

"It is unfortunate that the King campaign has declined our invitation. We appreciate that your campaign found our proposal acceptable, and we thank you for agreeing to participate."

Roecker said in recent town halls King has said that Vilsack will find an excuse not to debate and “it's pretty clear” from the Ames Tribune letter that King is unwilling to debate if there are moderators or it's open to the public.

“The bottom line from our perspective is that we're disappointed that the King campaign prevented Iowa State, The Ames Tribune, The League of Women Voters, and the Ames Chamber of Commerce from holding a debate that gives people in Ames and across the 4th District a chance to see where the candidates stand and hear their positions on the issues,” he said.

Roecker said Vilsack is not opposed to the Lincoln-Douglas debate style (in which speakers take turns speaking) but wants to have a moderated discussion in which people can ask questions at all debates including the debate discussed in Ames.

The debate sponsors wrote that they had agreed to allow some unmoderated discussion but that King wanted to have only a 90-minute conversation about topics selected ahead of time.

Roecker said that sponsors have no interest in holding conversational debates without moderators.

“They want to be able to ask questions and hold people accountable,” Roecker said.

King's cancellation came on the heels of national media coverage of King's recent comments in which he said that he would tell incoming college students to avoid joining multicultural groups because they foster a society of victimization.

Roecker said a debate between the candidates scheduled for Sept. 6 on WHO Radio is still on.

“I hope there will be a few more across the district. (We will) agree to more. I hope the King campaign will as well,” he said.