Hogan accepts invitations to three gubernatorial forums

Hogan accepts invitations to three gubernatorial forums; Brown response proposes limited debates on pre-approved stations with hand-picked moderators.    

Annapolis, MD – Gubernatorial candidate Larry Hogan has accepted all three invitations received to date to participate in gubernatorial debates and forums with Lt. Governor Brown.  On July 1, Hogan issued a statement accepting the first of these invitations and called for several additional town hall style debates throughout the state. 

In response, the Brown campaign sent out a press release over the holiday weekend saying that the Lt. Governor only wants to do three debates and only with organizations of his choosing; debates which don't actually exist and for which no invitations have been sent.  Each debate proposed by Brown would be a tightly controlled exchange hosted by a pre-approved station in the Baltimore-Washington corridor and emceed by a moderator hand-picked by the Lt. Governor’s campaign. According to the Hogan for Governorcampaign:

“We think that the voters of Maryland deserve the opportunity to know the differences between us.  We have accepted every invitation received to date without any restrictions whatsoever as to the format and have also called for debates in all regions of the state.   

We have said we would be pleased to participate in debates on all the Baltimore, Washington, Salisbury and Hagerstown television stations and before any important organization anywhere in Maryland. 

We believe the people of Maryland deserve a real clear choice for a change and we plan to give it to them.  They deserve to hear from both of us and we hope Anthony Brown will agree to frequent, substantive and real debates on the serious issues facing our state.”

The following invitations have been received and accepted by the Hogan campaign:

June 26 - Maryland Municipal League Gubernatorial Candidates Forum invitation sent to Hogan and Brown campaigns.  Larry Hogan agrees to participate on same day.

July 3 – WBFF TV Baltimore invites Hogan and Brown to participate in a televised debate.  Larry Hogan accepted the invitation immediately.

July 6 - Maryland Association of Counties invites Hogan and Brown to address members at their summer conference.  Larry Hogan immediately accepted.