Louisiana Senate hopeful Charlie Melancon has challenged David Vitter (R) to a series of debates today, in an effort to make him account publicly for recent scandals, TPM has learned.
Melancon issued the challenge this afternoon in letters to Vitter, and other qualified candidates, and will argue that all major candidates agreed to five debates in 2004, when Vitter first won his Senate seat.
As part of the challenge, Melancon is asking that the debates be town hall-style, without podiums, pre-screened questions, pre-selected questioners. Vitter has been avoiding reporters for most of campaign season, and has confined himself for the most part to events with pre-screened questions.
Vitter will now be forced to choose between accepting the debate — one which would likely yield uncomfortable questions — and declining it, which would likely yield bad press of its own.
Vitter will announce his challenge in a conference call with reporters later this afternoon.
Brian Beutler
Brian Beutler is TPM's senior congressional reporter. Since 2009, he's led coverage of health care reform, Wall Street reform, taxes, the GOP budget, the government shutdown fight, and the debt limit fight. He can be reached at brian@talkingpointsmemo.com.
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