Ashley Painter, candidate for South Carolina House District 117, today challenged Rep. Jordan Pace to two public debates ahead of the Nov. 3 general election. Painter has proposed one debate in September and a second in October, each hosted by a nonpartisan, third-party organization, with locations to be agreed upon by both campaigns.
Painter said the debates would give voters across District 117 a direct, side-by-side comparison of the two candidates on the issues that matter most to families in the district, including the rising cost of living, support for small businesses, access to health care and child care, and women’s health.
“The people of District 117 deserve to hear from both of us, on the same stage, answering the same questions,” Painter said. “Voters should not have to choose between two candidates they have never seen debate the issues. I am ready to show up, and I hope Representative Pace is too.”
Painter said she intentionally proposed a neutral host and a shared decision on locations so that neither campaign holds a home-field advantage.
“I am not asking for anything that favors me,” Painter said. “Let a nonpartisan group run it, let both sides agree on where it happens, and let the voters be the judges. This is about accountability and respect for the people we both want to represent.”
“Too much of our politics happens behind closed doors and in front of the wrong audiences,” Painter added. “A debate is one of the few places where you cannot hide from a straight question. I want District 117 to have that before they vote, not after.”
Painter encouraged local civic organizations and nonpartisan groups interested in hosting to contact the campaign at info@ashleypainter.com.