Voters may have few opportunities to see how candidates match up side-by-side before the election Nov. 4.

U.S. Senate candidate Mark Warner (D) and Rep. Frank Wolf (R-10) have turned down invitations to participate in upcoming televised debates sponsored by the nonpartisan League of Women Voters.
Eleventh district congressional candidate Keith Fimian said he is unaware of any scheduled debate between himself and his opponent, Fairfax County chairman Gerry Connolly (D).

Some candidates choose not to participate in a debate if they already have an advantage in the polls, according to Olga Hernandez, president of the Virginia League of Women Voters.

"Sometimes, when candidates are ahead, they perceive they have more to lose than to gain in a debate. So they decide not to participate. But we do not think that is good for voters," said Hernandez. "I think the citizens of Virginia lose out."

Warner’s campaign has said his busy schedule could not accommodate the League of Women Voters debate before the election. But Hernandez said the League of Women Voters extended an invitation to both Warner and Republican Jim Gilmore within a week of the Republican convention last May, which confirmed Gilmore would be the Republican Party nominee for U.S. Senate.

"The scheduling matter is ridiculous. He knows he is high up in the polls and he wants to hide his positions and ride that wave to the U.S. Senate seat," said Ana Gamonal, a spokesperson for Gilmore.
The debates which Warner and Wolf have agreed to might not to be available to as wide of an audience as those organized by the League of Women Voters.

Warner and Gilmore squared off once before a private audience at The Homestead resort this summer. The Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce has scheduled the only other debate before the U.S. Senate election Nov. 4.

Though the chamber’s event is open to the public, it takes place in middle of a workday and people must pay a fee to attend, said Hernandez. The chamber has also reported that the event is sold out.

"We are putting is a request for C-SPAN [to cover the Fairfax Chamber debate]," said Gamonal, who added that Warner has declined to participate in several other televised appearances with Gilmore.

Wolf has agreed to participate in two debates with his Democratic opponent Judy Feder. He said one will take place before the Prince William County Committee of 100. Another will be located in Loudoun County.

But Wolf – who represents McLean, Great Falls, Herndon, Centreville and Chantilly in Fairfax County – has turned down the opportunity to participate in a Fairfax County debate. The local chapter of the League of Women voters had initially scheduled an appearance between Wolf and Feder Sept. 8.

"They have sort of backed out. His staff had called and said they would not be participating," said Luke McFarland, Feder’s campaign manager.

McFarland added the Wolf and Feder – who challenged Wolf in 2006 – had participated in a League of Women Voters debate two years ago.

"There was a League debate the last time they ran against each other and I don’t think he enjoyed having his feet held to the fire," said McFarland.

Wolf said that Congress will be in session on Sept. 8, and he will have to be on Capitol Hill.

According to Fimian, he and Connolly have only made one joint appearance together. The two candidates talked to the residents of Greenspring Village, a Springfield retirement community, about four months ago, he said.