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NewswireToday - /newswire/ -
Greenwich, CT, United States, 09/20/2006 - Libertarian Phil Maymin, will debate incumbent Republican Christopher Shays, and Democrat Diane Farrell, in at least seven of the eleven Congressional debates scheduled for October..
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Libertarian Phil Maymin, 31, will debate incumbent Republican Christopher Shays, 60, and Democrat Diane Farrell, 51, in at least seven of the October debates sponsored by independent, nonpartisan organizations applying objective standards of candidate eligibility, including the League of Women Voters, the Business Council of Fairfield County, Temple Israel, Fairfield University, the Jewish Center for Community Services, and the World Affairs Forum.
Federal law mandates that organizations sponsoring debates have pre-existing, written, objective criteria for determining candidate eligibility. The candidate guidelines of the League of Women Voters are widely considered to be the benchmark in objectivity. They include ballot access by the candidate, a formal campaign presence, evidence of broad voter support, and evidence of significant financial support.
Shays and Farrell have scheduled four additional debates in October with sponsoring organizations that have not yet invited Maymin to participate. Some of those organizations, said Maymin, will be making their final decision within the next few weeks. Others are waiting for official polls from news media or independent polling organizations to confirm Maymin’s broad-based voter support.
“The AARP, for example, requires a showing of more than five percent by an official poll conducted by a news media or independent polling organization,” said Maymin. “They require this even though they admit there have not yet been any such polls conducted in this race. It is impossible to have a good showing on a poll if no poll exists. Therefore their criteria are not objective, and probably not even criteria in any normal sense of the word.”
The AARP has exceptions for Democrats and Republicans because they showed more than five percent in the previous election. There was no Libertarian candidate in the 2004 Congressional election.
“I offered to the AARP that they commission a poll right away with any organization of their choosing and I would reimburse them for it,” said Maymin. “They refused.”
The debate co-sponsored by the Norwalk Chamber of Commerce and News 12 television have similar requirements and have also chosen not to invite Maymin to their event for now.
According to the Maymin campaign, if any news media or independent organization runs a poll for this race with Libertarian Phil Maymin offered as one of the choices, and the poll shows significant support for Maymin, then the remaining four forums will likely include Maymin in their debates as well.
Here are the seven debates that will be held between Maymin, Shays, and Farrell:
• Oct. 4 at 11:30 a.m. in the Stamford Marriott Hotel, sponsored by the Business Council of Fairfield County.
• Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. at Norwalk Community College, sponsored by the League of Women Voters.
• Oct. 8 at 7 p.m. at the University of Connecticut, Stamford campus, sponsored by the World Affairs Forum.
• Oct. 11 at 7:30 p.m. at Congregation B'nai Israel in Bridgeport, sponsored by the Jewish Center for Community Services.
• Oct. 15 at 7:30 p.m. at Temple Israel in Westport, sponsored by Temple Israel.
• Oct. 16 at 8 p.m. at the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts at Fairfield University, sponsored by the university.
• Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m. at Wilton High School, sponsored by the League of Women Voters.
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