Cong. OH-2: Wulsin (D) Renews Debate Challenge, Offers 5K Race

Dr. Victoria Wulsin (D-Indian Hill), opposing Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Loveland) in Ohio's 2nd Congressional District, has posted a hilarious video about Schmidt's continuing refusal of Wulsin's offer to debate seven times, once in each county within the district, featuring Wulsin supporters and a big chicken making their point while demonstrating outside a Schmidt fundraiser:

[NOTE: I have removed the embedded link, but the video is available here.]

Meanwhile, Wulsin has amped up her debate challenge by combining it with an offer to compete against marathon runner Schmidt in a charity footrace. "Let's race for the cure," says Wulsin. "We'll give you a race. You give the voters another debate." Wulsin's campaign aides jogged over to Schmidt headquarters to deliver a letter challenging Schmidt to run in the 5 K Susan Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Race for the Cure on September 10.

In an editorial today, the Cincinnati Enquirer called on candidates (including Schmidt) to agree to debates:

We urge the candidates to stop stalling and accept these invitations and debate, not just once, but frequently. ... The debates are for the public, and candidates who avoid debates cheat the voters. They prefer to present their messages without challenge from the opposition ...Voters should realize that candidates who don't want to debate may just not have very much to say.

"Politicians should never hide from the voters," Wulsin said. "I will stand up for what I believe and will always be available for the good people of Southern Ohio."

UPDATE: Wulsin's strategy to embarrass Schmidt into agreeing to more debates may be working, sort of. As reported in the Cincinnati Enquirer today, Schmidt has declined the 5K charity race but instead "upped the ante - challenging Wulsin to run with her in a half-marathon this month in Morrow, a distance of about 13 miles." (That's a four-fold increase from 5K, which is a little over three miles.) Schmidt's chief of staff also said "he expects that there will be several debates between the two in October, after Congress has gone into recess."