Eugene’s mayoral candidates have debated on the radio, given public speeches and attended neighborhood association meetings, but today all four of the candidates will face off against each other for the first time in front of a live crowd.
The Eugene mayoral debate will begin at noon in the Downtown Athletic Club, located at 999 Willamette St. It will be hosted by the City Club of Eugene and the Lane County League of Women Voters.
Former mayor Jim Torrey was hesitant to get involved in the debate last month because he said he thought incumbent Mayor Kitty Piercy would pack the house with her supporters, creating an unfair atmosphere for the other candidates.
He has since accepted the invitation to debate Piercy in front of a live audience, and said in an e-mail that he expects more than 250 people to attend the event.
The two other candidates who are running, Home Depot employee Jim Ray and Social Security Administration employee Nick Urhausen, have been less prominently featured in the local media. However, the regulated structure of the debate should allow them equal time with Piercy and Torrey.
The way the candidates have been slinging mud at each other so far, the debate could showcase more than just their campaign platforms and also test each candidate’s patience.
“The City Club debate looks like the whipped cream on the sundae,” said Marilyn Milne, campaign manager for Piercy.
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