The Clinton County Farm Bureau held an event that both Congressional candidates Nels Ackerson and Steve Buyer attended. Ackerson told the organizers about a prior commitment later in the evening and asked for an early speaking time. His campaign was told that they would try to accommodate his schedule. As it turns out, the President of the Clinton County Farm Bureau is also the chairman of a political action committee that has endorsed Buyer. That person was, for whatever reason, unable to let Ackerson speak before he had to leave. So, he left; and arranged for a supporter to speak in his absence.
Now Buyer is using this as yet another pretext to avoid debating Ackerson. (His last pretext was feigned outrage that Ackerson had the nerve to actually tell constituents that the two would be debating prior to the last debate. Buyer, apparently would have preferred that nobody know about the debate — or something; his reasoning is not easy to follow if one gives him the benefit of the doubt that he thinks his constituents should have some exposure to his positions on the issues outside of campaign events and press releases.) Buyer is claiming that Ackerson “walked out” on the event.
On Tuesday, Buyer said, “I don’t want to hear any more out of him about debates or joint appearances if he walked out on the Farm Bureau members last night when we were supposed to have a joint appearance.”
Ackerson responded in a news release Wednesday saying, “Steve Buyer wants to pretend that we’ve been skipping debates, and that’s laughable. Name the time, Steve. Name the place. We’ve been waiting. Stop hiding behind half-truths.”
Buyer’s campaign style is more petulant than statesman-like. I would expect a smoother style from him now that he’s been in office for 16 years.
Maybe he’s regressing.