Hickey Accuses Foster of Ducking a Scheduled Debate to Avoid Addressing 11th District Issues

11^th Congressional District – Congressional Candidate Jim Hickey Monday charged that Bill Foster pulled out of the only scheduled debate in the new 11^th Congressional District because he is unprepared to address the issues.

The debate was being hosted by the Quad County African American Chamber of Commerce and scheduled for Thursday Jan. 26 at Benedictine University.

Hickey said that he immediately accepted the invitation but Foster’s campaign declined to participate claiming they have a schedule conflict.

“If this Thursday is a bad day for Mr. Foster to tell the voters of the 11^th District what he stands for and what he will do to turn around this economy, then pick another date,” Hickey said.

“But I suspect the real reason is Mr. Foster is a coward and he doesn’t want to debate. He doesn’t have any issues. He has millions and he will inundate the district with costly direct mail brochures to try and buy this election. But he doesn’t know the issues.”

Hickey said he appeared with Hickey during an editorial board meeting at the Chicago Sun-Times “and I blew his doors off when it came to the issues. I know the 11^th Congressional District and I know what the voters and residents there want. I know because I have been walking that district for three months, walking more than 250 miles knocking on doors and talking to voters. Mr. Hickey has been a phantom.”

Hickey challenged Foster to pick any date and any location to face-off on the issues so that voters can see the differences between their two platforms.

“I think the voters in the new 11^th Congressional District are looking forward to the opportunity to hear all of the candidates discuss their issues,” Hickey said.

“I have outlined my issues and my platform fully in media interviews and on my web page. In contrast, Bill Foster is hiding behind his million-dollar campaign fund hoping to avoid the issues and win.”

Hickey blamed Foster for failing to provide leadership to boost the economy when he was in the U.S. Congress from 2007 to 2010.

“Bill Foster is a millionaire insider who is no different than the bankers and robber barons who undermined and sold out this country’s blue collar workers,” Hickey said.

“I work full-time, I coach my son’s basketball team. I have four children that are in different activities and spend time with my family. Yet, I can rearrange my schedule to accommodate a debate because a debate is what our district needs.”

Hickey said it would be a tragedy for voters are denied the opportunity to hear what their candidates have to say.