Offers Come in From Houston and DFW to Host Cruz-Dewhurst Debates

This is the latest update for the possible Cruz/Dewhurst debates, Lincoln-Douglas style in the U.S. Senate race in Texas. King Street Patriots in Houston has offered to host the venue with local talk show host Michael Berry serving as moderator. In the Dallas area, several Tea Party organizations have come together to offer to host a debate.

This is the press release:

Local grassroots organizations in the Greater Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth areas have offered to host David Dewhurst and Ted Cruz as participants in a pair of Lincoln-Douglas style debates. Cruz proposed a series of such debates in a public letter to Dewhurst released on Monday.

King Street Patriots of Houston has offered its 300-seat hall as a venue for one of the debates. King Street Patriots founder and president Catherine Engelbrecht noted the importance of such debates in evaluating candidates, noting “Good governing requires the ability to clearly articulate points and powerfully defend positions. These debates will allow voters to get a glimpse of the candidate’s potential prowess on the floor of the Senate, where they will be called upon to speak on behalf of all Texans.” The group has proposed November 28 and December 5 as potential event dates, but has made clear that they are committed to working with the candidates’ schedules.

Houston talk radio host Michael Berry of 740 KTRH has offered to serve as a moderator for any debate in the Houston area. Berry explains, “Texas primary voters deserve the benefit of hearing the candidates debate the issues. This is an important seat and will help determine the direction of the Senate. I hope Lieutenant Governor Dewhurst will agree to participate.”

In North Texas, a coalition comprising the Dallas Tea Party, Garland Tea Party, Mesquite-Sunnyvale Tea Party, NE Tarrant Tea Party and the Park Cities-Preston Hollow Tea Party have come together to make a similar offer to the candidates. Julie McCarty, President of the NE Tarrant Tea Party, is hopeful that an event will be organized in North Texas. “Citizens are taking a much closer look at the candidates these days,” McCarty notes, “Any candidate that expects our support is going to have to show up and make the case.” The Dallas-Fort Worth coalition is proposing to hold the debate on the campus of the University of Texas at Dallas. They are prepared to work with the candidates and the University to identify mutually-acceptable dates for a debate.