The University will host a debate between the state’s two Democratic gubernatorial candidates tonight.
Former Gov. John Kitzhaber and former Secretary of State Bill Bradbury will discuss topics such as education, health care and the environment.
Questions for the Democratic hopefuls will come in various forms. ASUO President Emma Kallaway and Register-Guard editorial page editor Jack Wilson will ask the candidates five questions each.
Students and community members can submit YouTube video questions. Five will be randomly chosen for the debate.
University political science professor John Davidson will moderate the debate.
Kitzhaber is considered the favorite in the race, having garnered substantial endorsements by unions and state politicians. Several polls have reported large leads for him among likely Democratic voters. In a survey reported on by The Oregonian, 55 percent of likely Democratic primary voters backed Kitzhaber, compared to 21 percent for Bradbury.
On Oregon’s elections finance reporting site, ORESTAR, Kitzhaber reports a cash balance of $652,155, compared to Bradbury’s $163,423.
Bradbury remains active in the race, however, with the endorsements of several high-profile democrats, including Howard Dean and Al Gore.
The debate is the last one scheduled before for the May 18 primary, according to the Democratic Party of Oregon’s online calender.
The event is free, but donations will be accepted to benefit the Anthony Kaminski Scholarship, which honors the 2009 University graduate and former College Democrats president, who died in a car accident in January.
The debate takes place in Lillis 182, from 6:30 to 8 p.m.