U.S. Senate candidates to debate

Tonight’s U.S. Senate Debate at the IU-Southeast campus will feature Republican, Democratic and Libertarian candidates, plus a live audience that consists mostly of Chrysler auto workers. 

A group of workers who traveled together Oct. 18 to the box office in New Albany, Ind., took more than half of the free tickets and made Indiana Debate Commission officials consider canceling the debate between U.S. Senate candidates Republican State Treasurer Richard Mourdock, Libertarian Andrew Horning and Rep. Joe Donnelly, D-2nd District.

Debate Commission President and Terre Haute Tribune-Star Editor Max Jones said 500 tickets were available for the event.

He estimated about 300 were taken by the group of auto workers, leaving 100 left for the public after those reserved for campaign and debate commission guests.

Jones said the commission considered canceling or closing the event to the public because the commission made an agreement with the campaigns to provide a neutral venue for discussion.

The debate commission violated that agreement by allowing a special interest group to take control of the house, Jones said. Ticketing rules allow every individual to reserve two tickets. Campaigns were notified that attempts to reserve large groups of tickets would not be tolerated, Jones said.

“It really didn’t occur to anyone that we would have that type of activity from a special interest group,” Jones said.

United Auto Workers Region Director Ken Lortz, who communicated with both the workers and the debate commission, said the group did not represent the union.

Lortz said he didn’t think the event was a run on tickets and that workers respected the ticketing rules and were simply interested in attending the event.

“They’re wanting to hear firsthand where the candidates stand on support for the auto industry,” Lortz said.

This is the 12th Indiana Debate Commission debate since 2008 and the first in a group has taken a large number of tickets, Jones said.

It is also the last Senate debate and final debate of the 2012 cycle that will occur in front of a live audience.

The workers arrived during a particularly busy time on campus, Jones said.

“By the time we became aware of what was happening, there was nothing we could really do about it,” Jones said.

Both parties have agreed to abide by the commission’s rule for audience behavior, which preclude bringing signs or wearing campaign or union apparel.

The debate begins at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast live on television and radio stations throughout the state.