Debate season winds down

The two major political parties in Iowa will hold primaries on Tuesday, June 8, 2010.  There have already been a number of debates among candidates vying for spots in their party’s General Election line-up.  But in the next two weeks there will be a flurry of debates (more like joint appearances), including the final “debate” among the three Republicans who want to be the Iowa G.O.P.’s 2010 nominee for governor.  The three Democrats who want to be the Iowa Democratic Party’s nominee for the U.S. Senate will appear together in forums in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines next week.

A variety of topics have been covered on the campaign trail and in the previous debates, from gay marriage on the state front to TARP on the federal front. What issue do you think has been overlooked?  What question would you ask the candidates for governor, for congress, for the U.S. Senate?  What is the key issue on which you will make your voting decision?

Here are the remaining “joint appearances” or “debates” which I have written on my schedule:

Tuesday, May 18 @ 10 a.m.:  The Des Moines Register & WHO-TV host forum with the Republican congressional candidates in the third district

Tuesday, May 18 @ 7 p.m.:   the Republican candidates in the first congressional district will appear at a forum at Bettendorf High School

Thursday, May 20 @ noon:  The Des Moines Register & IPTV host forum with the Republican candidates for governor

Monday May 24 @ 10 am:  The Des Moines Regidster & WHO-TV host forum with the  Democratic U.S. Senate candidates

Wednesday, May 26 @ 7 p.m.:  second district congressional candidates attend Lee County GOP forum at “American Outdoors” which is six miles south of Mt. Pleasant

Thursday, May 27 @ 7:30 p.m.:  The Cedar Rapids Gazette & IowaPolitics.com host forum with the Democratic candidates for US Senate

Airing Friday, May 28 @ 7:30 p.m.:  three Democratic candidates for US Senate scheduled to appear on “Iowa Press” on IPTV 

(There are two Democrats running for congress in the fifth district but the schedules on their respective campaign websites show no joint appearance before June 8, 2010.)