Kim Schrier Wants 3 Debates With Dino Rossi In WA-8 Race

ISSAQUAH, WA - With less than three months to go before Election Day, Democrat Kim Schrier wants three debates with Republican opponent Dino Rossi. Schrier made the three-debate challenge in a letter to Rossi's campaign on Thursday.

Schrier knocked Rossi for declining to appear at candidate forums before the primary. She wants the debates all to take place in October - one in Pierce County, one in King County, and one in Kittitas County (the district also includes Chelan County) - and be broadcast on TV, radio, and online.

"I have participated in 29 candidate forums and debates since launching my campaign last August. I am committed to continuing this record of openness and transparency as we move toward the general election. I got into this race after Dave Reichert refused to meet with constituents or hold public town halls, because we deserve better than an absentee career politician. We deserves a representative who will engage in thoughtful, open discussion of the key issues that keep families up at night," Schrier wrote to Rossi in her debate appeal.

Patch has reached out to Rossi's campaign about the debate request. We'll update this story if we hear back.

The 8th Congressional District race is one of the most watched in the country. The race has been rated a "Republican toss up" by the Cook Political Report.

Still, there might be a desire in the 8th for a Democrat. Combined, the three Democrats in the primary race (Schrier, Jason Rittereiser, and Shannon Hader) pulled close to 50 percent of the vote. Rossi earned about 43 percent.

Image courtesy Kim Schrier