By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network
LANSING, MI – Democratic nominee for governor Virg Bernero tried to crash a town hall sponsored by Republican candidate Rick Snyder to issue a public challenge to debate. Snyder responded by inviting Bernero onstage to answer questions from the audience.
Bernero is pressing Snyder to engage in televised debates after Republicans broke off talks last week.
Bernero has accepted a debate invitation from a metro Detroit TV station. Bernero says he will be there regardless of whether or not Snyder shows up.
The TV station owners have not decided whether they will go ahead if only one candidate shows up
Snyder spokesman Bill Nowling says voters will have the chance to compare the candidates. He says they will appear together again before audiences even if those are not formal debates.
"I think it's a big dramatic to say that voters are being locked out when we're meeting in public together, we're having events together," Nowling says. "I think it's just more of the same of what we said we saw all along, which is more of the debate on debates from Mayor Bernero, and we just don't want to do that."
Nowling says the debate negotiations had become pointless as it became increasingly unlikely one could be scheduled before absentee ballots are mailed in early October.