May

29

Frank Wolf Dodges The Debate

Filed Under 2008 Election, Debate, Frank Wolf, Media, News Items | Leave a Comment

In a local newspaper, The McLean Connection, a Frank Wolf representative reveals that he will not participate in any debates prior to the Republican Primary against Vern McKinley on June 10th.

Though they have made some side-by-side appearances, U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf (R-10) and his Republican opponent Vern McKinley are unlikely to debate before their party primary June 10. “He is not doing any debates,” wrote Dan Scandling, a member of Wolf’s congressional staff, in an email.

McKinley said there have been four efforts to get the congressman to debate his Republican opponent — including invitations from Loudoun County high school students and the Politics Hour with Kojo Nnamdi on 88.5 FM, the public radio station.

Loudoun County’s Northern Virginia Community College campus and Sterling Foundation, Inc. also invited Wolf to partake in a debate similar to the one held between the Democratic primary candidates last week. Participation would have required Wolf to meet with some of the college’s political science students for a pre-debate interview earlier in the spring.

“The congressman wouldn’t agree to debate. … I don’t know why he wouldn’t. Maybe he doesn’t have time,” said Rosemarie Pelletier, the political science professor who extended the invitation to Wolf.

Read the full article (sidebar) here.

May

29

CentreView: Vern McKinley And Opponents Discuss Rising Oil Prices

Filed Under 2008 Election, Energy Policy, News Items | Leave a Comment

Vern McKinley and his Democratic and Republican opponents in Virginia’s 10th district congressional race weigh in on energy policy and rising oil prices in a local newspaper article yesterday.

McKinley said the U.S. government should not try to control the price of oil. The development of alternative energy sources should also be left up to the world financial market and not subsidized by the federal government.

“[Corn] ethanol is a complete distortion of markets and reality,” said McKinley.

The Republican supports opening up restricted territories in the United States, such as those in Alaska, for oil exploration and drilling. He wants to reassess the use of the federal gas tax and said that all responsibility for transportation — and possibly the taxing authority that supports those projects — should ultimately be shifted to the local government.

“I don’t think we get our money’s worth for all the [federal] transportation money we spend,” he said.

Read the full article here.