There may be no debate before the Nov. 8 election between Democrat Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger and her Republican opponent Yesli Vega.
Virginia’s 7th congressional district is expected to be one of the closest U.S. House races in the United States.
7News requested an interview with Rep. Spanberger to learn why she pulled out of the only scheduled debate with her Republican opponent. Spanberger refused to do an interview.
Instead, a Spanberger spokesperson sent 7News a statement.
“Due to the Vega campaign’s pressure to corrupt the Prince William Committee of 100’s efforts and stall the debate into nonexistence, with just five days to go before the scheduled debate, it became increasingly clear a debate was never going to become a reality,” a Spanberger spokesperson said Monday via email. “Ever since the Republican nominee was declared, Rep. Spanberger has been crystal clear in her efforts to join a debate with her opponent to discuss the issues that matter most to Virginians. The same cannot be said for her opponent, Yesli Vega, who declined a traditional debate in Fredericksburg with a nonpartisan moderator. Additionally, Vega has pulled out of multiple nonpartisan forums, including with local chapters of the NAACP and other local committees.”
Vega said Spanberger backed out of the debate because of comments made by Democratic lawmaker Elizabeth Guzman last Thursday.