Hogan agrees to eighth candidates’ forum as Brown continues to duck debates

ANNAPOLIS – Larry Hogan’s campaign announced that the gubernatorial candidate today has agreed to a fifth televised debate, this one to be co-hosted by NewsChannel 8, WTOP and POLITICO. This is the eighth overall gubernatorial forum the Anne Arundel businessman has accepted and agreed to participate in. As of today, Lt. Governor Brown had yet to confirm participation in any televised debates.

Today’s announcement follows news that Anthony Brown would only agree to participate in the Maryland Association of Counties’ (MACO) candidates forum, with the condition that he not appear on the stage at the same time as Hogan, the GOP nominee. The Hogan campaign reiterated that it had placed no restrictions on the format of the MACO or other forums and expressed its strong preference to have a moderated back-and-forth exchange between the candidates for governor.

Larry Hogan said, "As Anthony Brown has ducked questions about his mismanagement of the Health Exchange or any other questions regarding his record, he is apparently continuing to hide in his communication bunker and is trying to duck any serious debates. The voters of Maryland deserve better. After two terms of O’Malley-Brown, the voters need to hear directly from Brown on why he deserves another four years. Brown wants a promotion, but he refuses to show up to the interview," Hogan said. Hogan has accepted invitations from major news stations in both the Baltimore and DC media markets and on the Eastern Shore. Including today accepting the NewsChannel 8/WTOP/POLITICO debate, Hogan has accepted invitations for candidate debates or forums from:

· June 26 - Invite received for Maryland Municipal League (MML) Gubernatorial Candidates Forum

· July 1 – Accepted invitation to MML candidates’ forum and issued statement calling for several TV debates around the state.

· July 3 – Invite received and accepted for WBFF TV Gubernatorial Debate.

· July 6 – Invite received and accepted for Maryland Association of Counties candidates’ forum.

· July 8 – Invite received and accepted for WJZ-TV/Baltimore Sun gubernatorial debate

· July 8 - Invite received and accepted for WBAL-TV/WBOC/WHAG/MPT – gubernatorial debate

· Week of July 14 - Agreed to attend a debate to be hosted by WMDT-TV

· July 14 - Accepted invitation to Maryland Fraternal Order of Police candidates’ forum

· July 23 - Received and accepted invitation to NewsChannel8-WTOP-POLITICO Debate