BANGOR — The Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce announced recently that it has partnered with the Maine Public Broadcasting Network to conduct a debate between the two major-party candidates vying to represent Maine in the U.S. Senate.
U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican, and her Democratic challenger, Shenna Bellows, will appear at a debate set for Wednesday, Oct. 22, at the Gracie Theatre on the Husson University campus in Bangor. MPBN will televise the debate as part of its “Your Vote 2014” series. A member of the network’s news team will moderate.
The Chamber will work jointly with MPBN to come up with questions for the candidates and set ground rules for the forum. The Chamber also will host a reception for the candidates before the event.
“We are excited to be partnering with an organization with such high credibility and reach in the state of Maine,” said John Porter, president and CEO of the Bangor Region Chamber. “This partnership allows us to leverage an event we had planned to do locally into a statewide opportunity to size up these candidates.”
The Bangor Region Chamber hopes to host two other debates. One would be a meeting of the candidates vying for Maine’s 2nd District seat in the U.S. House on Oct. 14. The other would be a gubernatorial forum, which could take the form of another debate in partnership with MPBN on Oct. 23 at the Gracie.
“It’s unfortunate that the major-party candidates in these two important races can’t come to terms on a debate here in Bangor,” said Porter.
The Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce has set up a series of breakfast forums allowing the major candidates for governor to address its members individually. The first of these took place on Sept. 11 with Elliott Cutler. On Sept. 24, Gov. Paul LePage, a Republican, will speak to Chamber members. The Democratic nominee for governor, U.S. Rep. Michael Michaud, is set to appear Oct. 14.