Democratic county executive candidates Tom Suozzi (Glen Cove) and Adam Haber (Roslyn) will participate in a News 12 debate, a week ahead of their Sept. 10 primary.
The News 12 debate will take place from 7:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 3 and will be hosted by News 12 anchor Lea Tyrrell, Haber spokesman Galen Alexander said.
“For months Suozzi has been afraid to debate but now, after relentless calls from voters to have debates, we only have two scheduled and that is not good enough,” Haber said in a statement. “Democratic voters deserve to hear from the candidates asking for their votes on September 10th. We owe it to voters to move beyond the thirty-second ads and have many in-depth discussions on the issues that matter most.”
Suozzi’s campaign declined to comment for this article, but a source close to the campaign said Suozzi was never averse to debate requests from media organization and welcomed the upcoming meeting on News 12.
Suozzi, the former county executive who is seeking a rematch against current County Executive Edward Mangano (R-Bethpage), had declined to comment for months on Haber’s repeated requests for a series of debates.
Suozzi has been active on the campaign trail and in interviews with the press, but has focused his campaign’s cross hairs on the general election with Mangano, who narrowly unseated Suozzi in 2009.
Haber’s largely self-funded campaign has released mailers and television advertisements harshly critical of Suozzi’s tenure in office, but the Suozzi camp has not returned fire.
Haber, an East Hills businessman and Roslyn school board member, is running an outsider campaign and faces opposition from a Democratic party leadership that has lined up behind Suozzi.
Haber slammed Suozzi for rising to his debate challenges at a press conference earlier this month, saying that “Democrats need to consider the consequences for voting for a candidate who hides from the voters and is afraid to answer questions.”
Those questions may be answered next week, but the shape the debate will take is not yet clear. News 12 did not respond to a request for details on the debate’s format.
Haber will also appear August 30 at Harold Walker Memorial Park in Lakeview, at a forum hosted by Lakeview Council, Inc., Democracy Inspiring Voter Awareness, Blacks in Law Enforcement of America, L.I. and Nostrand Gardens Civic Association and moderated by WBLS radio host Bob Slade. A forum organizer said Suozzi has not confirmed whether or not he will attend.
Haber’s campaign has been an uphill battle.
Suozzi launched his run with the support of county Democratic chief Jay Jacobs and has racked up endorsements from county, town and village Democratic leaders as well as several unions.
Haber has worked in recent weeks to rack up his own endorsements, winning support from the Park Advocacy & Recreation Council of Nassau, civil rights attorney Fred Brewington and the New York Veteran’s Police Association.
