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Health & Fitness

Mass Dems Chair Invites Massachusetts GOP Chair to Debate Party Platforms

Mass Dems Chair John Walsh sent a letter to Mass Republican Chair Bob Maginn inviting him to participate in five debates focused the two parties' platforms.

Walsh proposes five debates, including on in Framingham, focused on how party platforms treat issues like job creation, middle-class security, Medicare, women’s healthcare and equal pay.


BOSTON - A day after former Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey encouraged Massachusetts Republicans to "span out" to talk about Mitt Romney's record as Governor and the Republican Party's platform, Massachusetts Democratic Party Chair John Walsh sent a letter to Massachusetts Republican Party chair Bob Maginn inviting him to participate in five debates focused on how the two parties' platforms treat issues like job creation, middle-class security, Medicare, women’s healthcare and equal pay.

The full text of the letter is below:

Robert Maginn, Chairman
Massachusetts Republican Party
85 Merrimac St.
Suite 400
Boston, MA 02114
 
Dear Mr. Chairman:
 
Yesterday, I was encouraged to hear that former Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey urged the Massachusetts Republican delegation in Tampa to “span out” and “get the record out there” about Mitt Romney’s term as Governor and the national Republican Party platform. 
 
I fully agree with Lt. Gov. Healey that we in Massachusetts know Mitt Romney best and it is in that spirit that I am writing to invite you to participate in a series of public debates about the national Republican and Democratic platforms around the Commonwealth this fall. Massachusetts’s voters are facing a stark choice in November and they deserve to have a rigorous and issues-focused debate, not just from candidates running for office, but from the leadership of our two parties as well.
 
Among other issues, I think you and I should debate how our respective platforms treat issues like job creation, middle-class security, Medicare, women’s healthcare and equal pay.
 
To make sure we speak to issues of concern in every corner of the Commonwealth, I propose that you and I meet for public debates in Framingham, Salem, Worcester, Springfield and New Bedford. As for the format, moderators and other details, I would suggest that each debate be sponsored and planned jointly by the local Democratic and Republican Committees.
 
While I feel that any number of debate formats will allow us to articulate our parties’ distinctly different visions for the Commonwealth and our nation, I do feel that it is more helpful for voters to hear from the leaders of our two parties. To be clear, I am asking you to debate in your capacity as the Chairman of the Massachusetts Republican Party.
 
Please let me know as soon as you can if you will accept this offer to debate so we can start planning.
 
Sincerely,
 
John E. Walsh, Chairman
Massachusetts Democratic Party

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