Poliquin agrees to debate Cain today, but you won’t see it until tomorrow

Democrat Emily Cain and Republican Bruce Poliquin debate in 2014. (Troy R. Bennett - BDN)

Democrat Emily Cain and Republican Bruce Poliquin debate in 2014. (Troy R. Bennett – BDN)

U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin of Maine’s 2nd District has agreed to a third debate in his re-election race with Democrat Emily Cain to be taped on Monday and aired Tuesday on Maine Public.

It was one of the debates that the Republican originally declined when he set his debate schedule in September. Cain, a former state senator from Orono, said then that Poliquin was dodging questions on his record in the nationally targeted race that has seen $11 million in campaign fundraising and outside spending.

But Poliquin spokesman Michael Byerly, said Monday that “we felt it was the right thing to do” to have a debate aired statewide on both TV and radio. The other two debates will be Wednesday on WAGM, a Presque Isle CBS affiliate, and Oct. 26 on WCSH and WLBZ, the Portland and Bangor NBC affiliates.

Today’s debate from Maine Public — the new name of the Maine Public Broadcasting Network — is being taped on Monday. Keith Shortall, Maine Public’s news director, said the current plan is to air it on Tuesday night.

Michael Shepherd

About Michael Shepherd

Michael Shepherd joined the Bangor Daily News in 2015 after covering state, federal and local issues for the Kennebec Journal for three years. He's a Hallowell native who now lives in Gardiner. He graduated from the University of Maine in 2012 and is a graduate student at the University of Southern Maine's Muskie School of Public Service.