MonticelloLive

FROM THE UAM NEWS DESK — The Journalism Club of the University of Arkansas at Monticello has invited all four gubernatorial candidates to a debate to be held in the Capitol Room of the John F. Gibson University Center October 10 at 7:30 p.m.

Independent candidate Rod Bryan and Green Party candidate Jim Lendall have agreed to participate in the event, which is being billed as The South Arkansas Debate, the only gubernatorial debate to be held in the southern part of the state. Democratic candidate Mike Beebe and Republican candidate Asa Hutchinson have not responded to the debate invitation, according to Dr. Ronald Sitton, assistant professor of journalism and Journalism Club advisor. Beebe and Hutchinson previously debated in Jonesboro, and plan to also debate October 4 in northwest Arkansas and October 17 in central Arkansas. Bryan and Lendall will also debate October 22 in front of an Arkansas Educational Television Network audience at the University of Central Arkansas. “Mr. Beebe and Mr. Hutchinson have indicated through press releases that they would only participate in debates co-scheduled between the traditional candidates,” said Sitton.

Brooke Burger, president of the UAM Journalism Club, said she hoped the debate would “give the community the opportunity to gain more insight into the campaigns. It will be good for students and others to hear from two candidates that they may have never heard about. I think it’s wonderful that Rod Bryan and Jim Lendall could find the time in their campaigns to visit our campus. Hopefully people will attend the event and feel compelled to exercise their right to vote in the upcoming elections.”

“I think it’s important to bring as many candidates as possible to college campuses because it encourages participation among an age group that oftentimes seems uninterested in the political process,” said Michael Ford, vice president of the Journalism Club and editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, The Voice.

The evening will begin with a 15-minute presentation on Act 1, the Arkansas Higher Education Technology and Facility Improvement Act, which would provide $4.1 million to help UAM update its campus. After the Act 1 presentation, moderator Scott Kuttenkuler will lead the candidates through an hour-long debate with a question-and-answer forum following.

For more information, contact Journalism Club advisor Ronald Sitton at (870) 460-1138.

If you would like to encourage the other candidates to participate in the debate, please contact them here:

• Asa Hutchinson
• Mike Beebe