The Lenzi for Congress Campaign has announced a Lincoln-Douglas style debate challenge between their 12th District Congressional candidate Raymond Lenzi and St. Clair resident Joel Funk. The Lenzi for Congress campaign is already working with Democratic Party Chairs and other interested political and community groups in the 12th District on dates and places for these debates to take place over the early January to mid-March period before the March 17th primary. One debate is already scheduled in February.
The basic outline of the Lincoln-Douglas debate challenge plan is to have a debate in each of the twelve counties in the 12th district just as Lincoln and Douglas debated in all of Illinois’ then congressional districts in their U.S. Senatorial contest in 1858. The preferred debate format will be modeled after the Lincoln-Douglas debates where each speaker took alternate turns speaking of their positions and platforms, issuing questions and challenges to their opponent and responding likewise to the other’s pronouncements and questions. The suggested alternating format will allow the first speaker to speak for thirty minutes, followed by a 45 minute response and rebuttal, followed then again by a 15 minute response from the opening speaker. By having these debates in every county voters will have an open and fair opportunity to hear the candidate’s views on the key issues of the day including climate change, healthcare, jobs, economic development, income inequality, gun safety, educational funding, the electoral college and so on.
The Lenzi for Congress campaign is busily working with each county to set up these events and invites the Funk campaign to respond cooperatively with all speed so that the voters may have the opportunity to compare and contrast our campaigns and positions on the vital issues in these very challenging times.