Domina urges more Senate debates

Democratic Senate nominee Dave Domina says the four Senate candidate debates and forums proposed by Republican nominee Ben Sasse are “not enough” for voters to assess the candidates.

Meanwhile, a third independent candidate who still is circulating petitions to gain access to the Senate ballot said he has received and accepted an invitation to participate in a Senate candidate debate at the State Fair in Grand Island.

Dan Buhrdorf of Lincoln, who says his chief concerns are the elderly, the disabled, military veterans and “the shrinking middle class,” has not yet turned in petitions for verification of sufficient signatures by the secretary of state.

Custer County rancher Jim Jenkins has qualified as an independent candidate and Lincoln businessman Todd Watson has submitted his petitions for verification.

Domina, who won the Democratic nomination in the May 13 primary election, said the four Senate debates that Sasse has agreed to actually are three debates and one forum.

“We propose that the number of debates be limited only by the number of significant invitations issued by objective groups offering to sponsor objective, voter-focused, actual debates,” Domina said.

“Genuine exchanges of ideas should occur at these events,” he said.

Domina said he believes that beginning in August, debates at about 10-day intervals would be in order leading up to the Nov. 4 election.
Sasse and Domina appeared together at Boys State and Girls State in Lincoln in early June.

Senate candidates will engage in a forum sponsored by the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce and the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce during their annual congressional summit at the Strategic Air and Space Museum near Ashland on Aug. 7.

The State Fair debate is being arranged for Aug. 25.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7248 or dwalton@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSDon.