The Westmoreland County League of Women Voters has canceled a candidates forum that was scheduled for Oct. 21, citing a lack of participation on the part of incumbents.
"Several of the incumbents who were invited were not going to be able to attend," said league Secretary Harriet Ellenberger. "We felt the event would not fairly represent both Republican and Democratic candidates."
Ellenberger said another reason was a lack of response from the public. The forum, billed as a "candidates breakfast," would have cost $20 to attend at Ferrante's Lakeview Lounge in Hempfield.
A similar event held before the primary election in May attracted about 100 people. The incumbents who attended tried to distance themselves from the legislative pay raise, which unleashed a political firestorm when it was passed in the middle of the night in July 2005. No one in the audience asked about the raise.
Rep. John Pallone, a Democrat from New Kensington, said Friday he had not planned on attending the fall forum because of a scheduling conflict.
He did say, however, he was prepared to debate his opponent, Republican Scott Witon, of Murrysville, at a mutually convenient time.
Witon said he was not surprised to learn that incumbents had bowed out of the event. The reason: "I'm supported by (Operation PA) CleanSweep," the political organization opposing incumbents in the wake of the pay raise.
Pallone voted against the pay measure.
Political scientist Michael Coulter, of Grove City College, said in one sense candidates have a "civic duty" to participate in events like the one proposed by the league.
"I think these kind of public discussions are good for voters," he said.
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