Tarkanian’s new ad claims Lowden backed out of debate
U.S. Senate candidate Danny Tarkanian is coming out with a new radio ad that challenges his GOP opponent Sue Lowden on debates and campaign finance.
In the ad, Tarkanian charges that Lowden backed out of a scheduled April 30 debate on the Heidi Harris radio show but Lowden's campaign says that's misleading. Lowden campaign manager Robert Uithoven said no date had been set for the event and when April 30 was picked she had a conflict. Uithoven said Lowden wants a debate before the June 8 primary and is trying to change her schedule to participate. "We never once agreed to it in the first place," Uithoven said in an e-mail. "We are trying to make it work - but it requires moving other items. I'm pretty sure we'll be there - but I cannot confirm 100 percent certainty just yet."
GOP Senate candidates confirmed for the April debate at the Orleans hosted by the Heidi Harris show include Tarkanian, Sharron Angle, John Chachas and Las Vegas Assemblyman Chad Christensen. Questions for the group are being submitted via kdwn.com, according to the station KDWN.
Tarkanian and Lowden, the two leading GOP contenders, both appeared recently on the Alan Stock KNXT show to discuss issues but it wasn't a formal debate.
Other GOP hopefuls have appeared together at forums such as Lincoln Day dinners and a Sun City event but there have been no formal debates yet.
In his new ad, Tarkanian also criticizes Lowden for supporting current limits on individual contributions to federal campaigns. The limit is now $2,400 for the primary and general but the law doesn't limit candidates from loaning or giving money to their own coffers, which Lowden has done - $500,000 by matching every dollar she raised in the first three months of 2010. Tarkanian says he wants to get rid of the limits so he and other candidates can get individual contributions from big money donors, a first amendment issue.
The new ad will begin airing Tuesday as part of Tarkanian's statewide ad campaign buy of $10,000 a week, according to campaign consultant Jamie Fisfis. The other ads focus on Tarkanian's biography as a businessman and "non-establishment" candidate and on his opposition to wasteful government spending.
In the latest radio ad Tarkanian uses a folksy manner in attacking Lowden without using her name.
"Hi this is Danny Tarkanian," he says. "I was really looking forward to a candidate debate on April 30, but the other candidate suddenly withdrew. That's disappointing and I hope she will reconsider. Voters deserve a discussion of the issues, not just millions in TV ads. That's also why I oppose campaign finance laws that favor wealthy candidates at the expense of your Constitutional right to free speech. Let's have full participation - and full disclosure."
