http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060926/NEWSREC0101/60925024The rhetoric in the 13th Congressional District race has become so heated that where and when the candidates will debate the issues has itself become an issue.
Democratic incumbent Brad Miller and Republican challenger Vernon Robinson accuse the other of ducking the chance to openly debate one another, although both are scheduled to appear simultaneously in at least one venue.
The race in the 13th, which stretches from Raleigh to Greensboro, is easily the most caustic in the state as the Nov. 7 election approaches. Robinson has aired a series of ads accusing Miller of being soft on immigration reform, including one featuring a parody of the "Beverly Hillbillies" theme, and another recalling shades of a racially divisive Jesse Helms campaign ad.
Interviews with both campaigns and local on-air personalities indicate each candidate is hesitant to appear in a format he considers favorable to his opponent. Robinson seems to favor more free-wheeling formats while Miller seems to favor productions by large-market television stations.
"I think that the Miller campaign feels at this point that it is not in their best interest to engage Vernon (Robinson) directly," said Britt Whitmire, a morning talk-show host and half of "Brad & Britt in the Morning" on WZTK (101.1 FM).
more...