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Political rivals to debate

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By Ed Tibbetts | Wednesday, September 27, 2006 |

Iowa’s 1st District congressional rivals, Bruce Braley and Mike Whalen, will debate Tuesday in Davenport.

Braley, a Democrat from Waterloo and Whalen, a Bettendorf Republican, will face off at the Nighswander Theater at the Annie Wittenmyer complex, 2822 Eastern Ave., at 7 p.m.

The debate, which is open to the public, is being sponsored by the Quad-City Times and WQPT, the public television station at Black Hawk College.

The debate will be aired on WQPT at 7 p.m. Oct. 5 and again at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 8.

Both of the campaigns said they are looking forward to the debate.

“We’re excited the Quad-Cities will get to see Bruce’s message of changing the direction of this country,” said Jeff Giertz, a spokesman for the Democrat.

Russ Perisho, Whalen’s campaign manager, said the forum will give people a chance to see the “clear contrast” between the two candidates “on so many issues.”

Braley and Whalen were chosen by their parties in June to run for the seat.

Since then, they have parried in television ads and media reports, but their only joint appearance since then was last Friday on Iowa Public Television’s “Iowa Press” program.

Tuesday’s event will be the first of at least two debates in the district. The other is an hour-long debate that’s scheduled for Oct. 9 in Dubuque, Giertz said.

The campaigns said there have been negotiations for a third debate, in Waterloo, but there’s been no agreement.

The congressional debate is the second the Times is co-sponsoring this campaign season.

On Oct. 16, candidates for Iowa governor, Republican Jim Nussle and Democrat Chet Culver, will square off at Galvin Fine Arts Center on the campus of St. Ambrose University, Davenport. The two will participate in a live debate to be broadcast on KWQC-TV6, which also is a co-sponsor.

Ed Tibbetts can be contacted at (563) 383-2327 or etibbetts@qctimes.com.