Press Release -
PENN YAN—Today, Aryn Fields, Communications Director for Tracy Mitrano, Democratic Nominee in NY-23, issued the following statement correcting misrepresentations from the Reed campaign regarding the debate schedule.
“The Reed campaign recently dismissed our concerns about the lack of open forums for voters to hear from the candidates directly,” Fields said. “One article quoted a Reed official as saying, ‘Our campaigns have agreed to three debates, the same number we have done in past campaigns, and that is enough for presidential elections.’ In fact, we agreed to eight invitations—the reason only three dates are on the calendar is because our opponent refused the other five. The Mitrano and Reed campaigns have never directly spoken or negotiated about the debates.”
In addition to invitations from the Jamestown Post-Journal, WETM, and the Olean Times Herald, Mitrano accepted debate requests from the League of Women Voters of Geneva, the League of Women Voters of Cattaraugus and Allegany Counties, the League of Women Voters of Chautauqua County, Enfield Valley Grange, and the People for a Healthy Environment, a grassroots organization based in Horseheads, NY.
“Citizens of the 23rd District deserve as many opportunities as possible to hear from those seeking to represent them. In fact, of our three engagements scheduled, only two are actually debates open for public attendance—further evidence that Reed is hiding from answering for his voting record.”
Fields also reiterated that Mitrano is speaking with the voters about policies that matter to them in major population centers in every county in the district.
“Through our ‘One District” campaign of eleven town halls, Tracy is speaking directly to voters in every county in the weeks leading up to election day,” Fields said. “In Cattaraugus County on September 15th, citizens shared their concerns about crippling student loan debt, unaffordable health care premiums, and the ways their representatives have let down their community. In Ontario County on September 26th, Tracy spoke to voters about pursuing bipartisan solutions to district challenges, staying independent from corporate backers, and staying in touch with the needs of local communities.”
