Josh Hicks Challenges Andy Barr to Series of Five Televised Debates in Race for KY-6

Hicks has already accepted invitations to forums hosted at KET and WKYT

LEXINGTON — Josh Hicks, the Marine Corps veteran and Democratic nominee to represent Kentucky’s Sixth Congressional District, has challenged Republican incumbent Andy Barr to a series of at least five televised debates.

Hicks has already accepted two debate invitations, including one from the League of Women Voters and Grey Communications at WKYT, to be held October 5th at 7 pm, and one from Kentucky Educational Television, to be held October 19th at 8 pm.

Hicks issued the challenge in a letter sent via USPS certified mail to Barr’s campaign headquarters. The letter is also posted on the Hicks for Congress campaign website (/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Debate-Challenge.pdf).

The letter opens:

“American politics has a long and celebrated history of spirited debate between candidates. I hope you will continue this great American tradition by engaging in debates and forums across Kentucky’s Sixth District so that real people can see for themselves which one of us is truly fighting for them. I propose that you and I participate in at least five televised debates.”

Hicks continues, “Folks are hurting. They are struggling. They deserve to know why you voted to take away their health care repeatedly. They need to know why you’ve accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from big banks and big drug companies that are exploiting them. They need to know why you’ve bailed out Wall Street, but ignored working people.”

Barr himself has been inconsistent in his willingness to debate past opponents:

In his early races, he sought as many debates as possible, including proposing a series of 19 debates in his efforts to defeat Congressman Ben Chandler. In 2018, when polls showed Barr slipping against challenger Lt. Col. Amy McGrath, he requested a series of seven debates — despite previously ignoring debate requests from McGrath’s campaign.

“I have committed to at least seven debates and forums, because my constituents need to hear firsthand the enormous differences between me and my opponent,” Barr said in 2018, according to an article in the Lexington Herald-Leader at the time.