Thus far the public forums in the race for mayor of Louisville have been a bore, but tonight Bellarmine University and the Governor’s Scholars Program will host an actual mayoral debate, featuring Democrat Greg Fischer, Republican Hal Heiner and independent Jackie Green.
The debate starts at 7 p.m. and will be on on the Bellarmine campus in Frazier Hall. Though it is free and open to the public, campus officials warn that seating is limited.
If you can’t make it then watch it here.
The fact that all three candidates have been invited is a step in the right direction considering how the mayoral forums started off. In Jerry’s kids last month, we reported that at the first general election debate, Green was barred from the discussion and that event organizers initially had Metro Police stop him from even entering the building.
Since that story broke, Green’s exclusion from the conversation has caught on with the local press and appears to be a dividing line between forum hosts and the two mayor party candidates.
A few days ago, the C-J focused on Green being barred and reported a luncheon hosted by the Greater Louisville Hotel and Lodging Association only invited Heiner and Fischer. The organization’s president told the newspaper Green will be invited separately at another event.
“It’s puzzling to me because the hotels here in town may not know it, but my platform serves them better than the two major party candidates,” says Green, adding the campaign turned down the group’s solo invitation. “The people on the front lines, from the bell hops to maids in the hotels are public transit dependent employees. That’s my stance, not Fischer or Heiner. And the management may not understand that, but the workers do.”
During our initial coverage, the Heiner campaign was quick to tell LEO Weekly that Green’s treatment was unjust while Fischer was reticent and never responded. However, the C-J finally caught up with the Democratic candidate, who said including Green should be left up the debate organizers.
From the C-J:
“We don’t really insert ourselves into what their forum is,” Fischer said. “I’m more than happy to participate with Jackie when he is at an event.”
For the bicycle advocate, it’s disappointing that business groups and Fischer are allowing this undemocratic practice to go on. And Green is calling on Heiner, a member of the Metro Council, to help solve this problem by simply refusing to attend any debate that doesn’t invite all the candidates.
“That is not leadership on Fischer’s part, and I hope Heiner steps up,” says Green. “I thought this campaign would be about land development, public transit and an energy efficient economy. It’s not at the moment. Right now it’s about the democratic process and integrity.”