INDIANAPOLIS – In what appears to be the onset of a major outbreak, debate dodge fever is beginning to take hold of the Indiana Republican Party. Members of the Indiana GOP’s congressional and legislative delegation appear to be showing symptoms as we enter election season.

From the Evansville Courier & Press Tomes cites grievances to refuse Evansville debate, Bucshon also out

“State Sen. Jim Tomes will not participate in a Courier & Press-sponsored debate with challenger Edie Hardcastle — because it is sponsored by the Courier & Press.

…

“Tomes, a Republican, cited the newspaper’s publication of a 2016 opinion column and several letters to the editor that criticized him.

“And you guys want me to do a debate?” he said.

“Hardcastle, a Democrat, called that a ruse to avoid facing her in a locally televised forum.

“So his feelings are hurt,” she said. “I think that’s a poor excuse for not participating in a public debate that would be moderated by a neutral party from the media.”

Symptoms include:

• Absenteeism or failure to attend townhalls and meet constituents (the people that pay their salary)
• Lame excuses like: “I don’t work on weekends”
• Incoherent accusations
• Failure to respond to requests for debate

Indiana Democratic Party Chairman John Zody is concerned debate dodge fever will spread to the entire Indiana Republican Party.

“Hoosier taxpayers expect their elected officials to, at the very least, show up,” said Zody. “Sen. Tomes and a growing number of his GOP colleagues can’t even clear that low bar. I’m genuinely concerned debate dodge fever might spread to every member of the Indiana Republican Party.”

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