Bethesda Chamber Hosts County Executive Debate on March 7

March 6, 2014 | by Staff Writer

Isiah Leggett

The three democratic candidates in the primary race for the office of Montgomery County Executive will face off in a debate on March 7.

Sponsored by The Greater Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Bethesda magazine, the meeting of current County Executive Ike Leggett, former County Executive Doug Duncan and County Councilmember Phil Andrews will take place just 14 weeks prior to the June 24 primary.

The debate will give Montgomery County voters an opportunity to hear each candidate address key economic and social issues facing Maryland’s largest county, which in recent decades has undergone a transformation from a traditional bedroom community to a majority-minority jurisdiction characterized increasingly by urbanized growth.

“This debate is an excellent vehicle for our members, and the public at large, to hear first hand the viewpoints and priorities of the Democratic county executive candidates,” explained Andy Shulman, chairman of The Greater Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chamber of Commerce. “Advocacy on behalf of our members is one the Chamber’s most important functions.”

Doug Duncan

The debate will be held at the Hyatt Regency in Bethesda beginning at 7:30 a.m. on Friday, March 7. “Most of the events that are planned with all three candidates participating are forums where there’s no give and take,” said Steve Hull, editor-in-chief and publisher of Bethesda Magazine. “To best inform the public, we thought it was important to have a true debate so that the candidates will be forced to candidly defend their positions.”

While Chamber members and the public are invited to attend the debate in person, organizers have created a venue to enable county residents and businesses to become involved even before the debate. The public is encouraged to submit questions for the candidates through a variety of social media options:

• Bethesda magazine has added a landing page to its website for residents to submit questions.
• The B-CC Chamber will accept questions through Twitter* (@BCCChamber) using the hashtag #MoCoDebateQ.
• The B-CC Chamber will accept questions through their Facebook page.* Questions should be submitted directly on the Chamber’s FB page and the #MocoDebateQ can be used.

Phil Andrews

Bethesda magazine will be sending out an e-blast to 18,000 subscribers announcing the debate as well as the question submission opportunity. The final list of questions to be posed to the candidates by the moderator, Bethesda magazine contributing political editor Louis Peck, will be a combination of public submissions and his own.

Questions will not be taken from the audience during the debate; however, attendees will have the opportunity to speak with the candidates after the formal debate is adjourned.

For more information, visit the chamber’s website at http://www.bccchamber.org/.

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