Cacace Declines LWV Debate with Sarcone
Should Debates be in Person? Or Still Zoom?
By Dan Murphy
A number of debates have been scheduled in October for almost every elected office on the ballot November 5. The Westchester League of Women Voters, LWV, as usual, has a number of their forums upcoming but some candidates have decided to skip their planned debate.
In a press release, the LWV-Westchester wrote, “The League of Women Voters of Westchester announces that it will not be holding Candidate Forums for the U.S. Congressional District 17 race or for the Westchester District Attorney race.
“With respect to the race for U.S. CD 17, Democratic candidate Mondaire Jones had stated that he was available for the proposed October 21, 2024 forum at the Ossining Public Library. However, incumbent Congressman Michael Lawler, Republican candidate, would not commit to any date.
“With respect to the race for Westchester County DA, Republican candidate John Sarcone had accepted the invitation for the proposed October 24, 2024 forum at the White Plains Public Library. However, Democratic candidate Susan Cacace declined to participate.
“A candidates’ meeting with only one candidate present is an “empty chair” meeting, and is not permitted under LWVW rules and its policy of nonpartisanship. LWVW regrets that these important proposed educational events for voters had to be cancelled.
“This is a lost opportunity for the public to hear directly from candidates in person and to address their own questions to them,” stated Westchester County League President Kathy Meany. “We strive to run forums in a respectful, non-partisan environment that encourages civil discourse and allows candidates to communicate with the people they are seeking to represent. It is a disappointment that there will be no such in-person opportunity for voters residing in Westchester [for purposes of the U.S. CD 17 and Westchester County DA races.”
Sarcone said, in a statement, that Cacace’s decision not to debate was, “a threat to democracy and a slap in the face of Westchester voters..that my opponent refuses to face the voters and defend her radical positions.”
Cacace’s campaign, through a spokesperson, explained that “Susan has always made herself accessible to people all across Westchester and will continue reaching out to voters to discuss her vision for the office and her plans to keep Westchester safe,” adding that “Her opponent, on the other hand, has no credible campaign to speak of. He has failed to raise any money, has not produced a website, has no social media presence, and zero visibility. The voters deserve better.”
We could not find a Sarcone for District Attorney website on Facebook as we write this story, nor could we find any donations or filings of any kind on the NY Board of Elections.
Recently, Sarcone issued two releases, send out by republican campaign consultant Chapin Fay. One was regarding the indictment of Eric Adams, and the other was an endorsement from former NYPD detective Bo Dietl.
Sarcone also does not have the Conservative Party line. Last year, Sarcone was the republican candidate for State Supreme Court, and also did not have the Conservative Party line. A lawsuit was filed against the Westchester Conservative Party Chair Hugh Fox, but Fox won in the end, and Conservatives endorsed the democratic candidates for State Supreme Court, who went on to win in November.
This year, Fox and the Westchester Conservative Party have endorsed Cacace for DA, and the democratic candidates for State Supreme Court again. One issue that some conservatives in Westchester have with this decision is that while democrats are running a statewide and national campaign to protect a woman’s right to abortion, most conservatives don’t agree.
Lawler and Jones have agreed to participate in a debate on News 12 Wednesday, October 16 at 8:30pm, which will be moderated by News 12’s Tara Rosenblum.
One thought that we have heard from many candidates is their desire to hold in person debates. During COVID, all debates were held on Zoom, and some are still held on Zoom. We agree. The LWV is hosting a number of debates both in person and on Zoom for those who can’t attend. We do enjoy the post debate videos that we can all watch at our leisure.
In the other Westchester race for Congress, NY-16, democrat George Latimer and republican Miriam Levitt-Flisser will participate in a LWV Debate on October 17, from 7pm to 8:30pm at the White Plains Public Library
NYS Senate District 35-Khristen Kerr (R) vs. Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D)
Wednesday, October 16, 2024 -7pm to 8pm–via Zoom
NYS Senate District 37-Tricia S. Lindsay (R) vs. Shelley Mayer (D)
Tuesday, October 22, 2024-7pm to 8:30pm- White Plains Public Library
NYS Senate District 40
Gina Arena (R) vs. Peter Harckham (D)-Wednesday, October 9, 2024
7pm – Hybrid Event-Virtual via Zoom-In person at New Castle Town Hall
NYS Assembly District 88
Thomas Fix, Jr. (R) vs. Amy Paulin (D)
Wednesday, October 16, 2024-7pm to 8:15pm-New Rochelle City Hall
NYS Assembly District 90
John Isaac (R) vs. Nader J. Sayegh (D)-Tuesday, October 22, 2024- 6:30pm to 7:30pm
Grinton I. Will Library in Yonkers
NYS Assembly District 92
Alessandro Crocco (R) vs. MaryJane Shimsky (D)
Thursday, October 10, 2024- 6:30pm to 7:30pm
Greenburgh Public Library
NYS Assembly District 95
Michael Capalbo (R) vs. Dana Levenberg (D)
Monday, October 7, 2024- 7pm to 8pm
Ossining Public Library
Editors Note: If you know of an additional candidate’s debate, please email us at dmurphy@risingmediagroup.com so we can highlight it.
