Mayoral debate heads to campus

Sacramento mayoral candidates Heather Fargo and Kevin Johnson will square off at Sacramento State in a live, televised debate from 6:30 to 8 p.m., Monday, Oct. 6, in the University Union Ballroom. The non-partisan debate will be broadcast on KCRA Channel 3 and Capital Public Radio, FM 90.9.

The invited audience will be composed almost entirely of Sacramento State students, and debate questions will focus on issues important to the students. The format will include three moderators, KCRA’s Pamela Wu and Walt Gray and Capital Public Radio’s Jeffrey Callison. Candidates will field questions from audience members and pre-taped questions from Sacramento State students.

“We brought this debate to campus to give Sacramento State’s students the opportunity to ask the questions that they want answered,” says University President Alexander Gonzalez. “Our students have a profound connection to the region, and this thoughtful, important discussion will inform both the campus community and the mayoral candidates as we work to build a greater future for Sacramento.”

KCRA was on campus Tuesday, Sept. 24 in the University Union, asking students what issues mattered to them and what they would ask the candidates. The taped questions will be posed to the candidates on air during the debate.

“Every election cycle, there is talk about 'engaging younger voters', but that rarely extends beyond the races at the top of the ticket,” says government professor Kimberly Nalder. “It's refreshing to see the campus host not just gubernatorial debates, but to allow students to get answers first-hand from Sacramento's mayoral candidates.”

For more information, contact Sacramento State’s Public Affairs office at 278-6156.