There are less than three weeks to go until primary day, and Claudia Tenney, who is running for Congress in a Republican primary against 22nd Congressional District Republican Richard Hanna, continues to push for a debate with her opponent.
In Vestal and Clinton Wednesday afternoon, Tenney, who currently serves as a state assemblywoman, says she has challenged Hanna to several debates in recent weeks throughout the district, which stretches from the Mohawk Valley to Pulaski and from Binghamton to Utica.
"How can you stand up there in a $500,000 ad campaign and describe your opponent as someone who can't tell the truth," Tenney said. "And then turn around and say the public doesn't have a right to judge for themselves in a public debate. And I challenge Richard Hanna to a debate. Debate a conservative, Republican woman in a primary."
Tenney says it's only fair that voters get to hear from both candidates in a neutral forum.
"I just think the people should see us debate, and decide for themselves who the true conservative is, who the true Republican is, and not hear these distorted voting records and things that are being talked about," Tenney said.
Tenney says she wants to talk about Hanna's voting record, his votes on raising the debt ceiling and his views on jobs for people with science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, backgrounds.
Tenney has tea party support while Hanna is considered one of the more moderate Republicans in Congress. Hanna's camp has declined several media requests to debate. Voters will head to the polls on June 24 to select who will represent the Republican Party. There is no Democratic candidate in the race.