Congressional Debate
Kenyon will host the only face-to-face debate in the race for Ohio's 7th Congressional District on Tuesday, October 30, at 7:00 p.m.
U.S. Rep. Bob Gibbs, the Republican incumbent, will meet Joyce Healy-Abrams, the Democratic Party challenger, in Rosse Hall in a debate hosted by the Kenyon's Center for the Study of American Democracy (CSAD).
"An open and frank discussion of the issues facing the district and the country is of interest and importance to voters," said Thomas Karako, CSAD director. "We're delighted that the candidates have agreed to do so here at Kenyon." A panel of questioners will join Karako, who will be the moderator of the debate.
"I am looking forward to returning to Kenyon," Gibbs said. "It's important to communicate with my constituents and understand what critical issues are facing Ohioans."
Gibbs is the owner-operator of a livestock farm in Holmes County. He is a former president of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation and has served on the board of trustees of the Ohio Farm Bureau. He was elected to the first of two terms in the Ohio House of Representatives in 2002 and was elected to the Ohio Senate in 2008. He was elected to the U.S. Congress in 2010. He and his wife, Jody, have three grown children.
Healy-Abrams said she welcomes the opportunity to debate Gibbs. "We believe it is important the voters learn a candidate's position on the issues," she said. "Debates help accomplish this."
Healy-Abrams is a small business owner who started and ran a records and file management business in Ohio for more than ten years. She grew this business from one employee to a successful company with more than twenty employees when she sold it in 2007. She has served in the community with several Ohio non-profit organizations that focus on arts and education, health care, and children with special needs. Joyce lives in Canton with her husband, Jeff, and their youngest daughter, Helena.
Kenyon Provost Nayef Samhat welcomed the candidates to Kenyon. "The CSAD was created for precisely these kind of opportunities to provide a forum for debate and reflection on the crucial local, regional, and national issues that affect the citizens of our community here at Kenyon, in Knox County, and beyond," Samhat said.
The event was organized with the cooperation of the Knox County Chamber of Commerce, Knox County Democratic Party, Knox County Republican Party, and Mount Vernon Nazarene University.
The debate will feature opening statements by both candidates followed by questions from the panel. Questions will also be culled from advance submissions from the public and students from both colleges.
To learn more about the debate, call 740-427-5993.