MEDIA RELEASE
Mazie Hirono is refusing to debate Linda Lingle on the Big Island or any of the other neighbor islands, depriving Hawaii Island voters of the chance to evaluate the U.S. Senate candidates side-by-side on the issues important to their communities.
“Hirono’s disrespect for the people of the Island of Hawaii is a sign of arrogance,” Lingle Campaign Manager Bob Lee said.
“She has never lived on the neighbor islands, and even after being elected six years ago she never moved into the district,” former Maui Mayor Lingle said. “Mazie doesn’t understand how hurtful this is to people on the neighbor island.”
“How can people trust her to represent them in the United States Senate when she isn’t willing to defend her ideas?” Lee asked. “I guess she doesn’t want to have to explain why she hasn’t passed even one bill during her six years in Congress and why she failed to show up for work and missed 133 votes since January while Hawaii’s other congresswoman missed only one vote.”
Hirono refused to attend debates hosted by the Waimea Community Association, Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce and League of Women of Voters that had all been accepted by Lingle and Ed Case before the Primary Election.
The only debate before a live audience Hirono agreed to for the entire campaign was hosted last week by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii and various partner organizations.
A complete video of the forum is available at: www.lingle2012.com/2012/09/forum-between-mazie-hirono-and-gov-linda-lingle/