An Oct. 10 debate between 3rd Congressional District Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and Republican challenger Joe Kent to be hosted by the League of Women Voters was canceled Wednesday after Kent declined the invitation.
The League has a “no-empty chair” policy, meaning debates cannot be held with a solo candidate when the other declines to participate.
The event was to be held at Clark College, where instructors were planning to give extra credit to students who attended. Clark/Vancouver Television, a government-access cable channel, would have aired the debate live and streamed it on its website. League chapters in Clark, Cowlitz, Klickitat and Skamania counties were the debate hosts, along with Clark College students, according to a news release.
The League of Women Voters first issued the debate invitation to the two candidates June 21, then sent out three reminder letters. Kent declined the invitation Wednesday.
Seven newspapers were co-sponsors of the debate, including The Columbian in Vancouver, The Daily News in Longview and The Reflector in Battle Ground.