Polis, Ganahl to headline Pueblo Chamber of Commerce political debates in September

Election ballots will be sent to Pueblo voters in less than two months.

Voters will soon have the chance to hear directly from candidates at debates featuring most local and state candidates hosted by the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce.

The incumbent Congress members in Pueblo’s jurisdiction, Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet and Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert, have not committed to the debates.

Boebert declined to attend the scheduled debate. A campaign spokesperson said that she could not attend because the prospective dates are when Congress is in session and noted Boebert has “other scheduling obligations,” but said that the Congresswoman is working with the Chamber of Commerce to schedule a roundtable discussion.

Bennet also attended a roundtable discussion earlier this month at the Chamber of Commerce. A representative from his campaign said that the senator has not formally declined and is working on scheduling other events around Colorado.

Colorado gubernatorial candidates, incumbent Democrat Jared Polis and Republican Heidi Ganahl, will debate for the first time on Sept. 28 at an event moderated by Action 22 CEO Sara Blackhurst, who moderated a virtual forum with 3^rd Congressional District candidates in June.

The League of Women Voters announced that Boebert and her Democratic challenger Adam Frisch will be debating at a virtual forum on Oct. 12.

All of the candidates for elected county offices, including District 3 commissioner, clerk & recorder and sheriff, are scheduled to participate in debates in early September at Pueblo Community College.

Also, all the candidates on the ballot for the state legislature within Pueblo districts will debate, including incumbent State Sen. Nick Hinrichsen and his Republican challenger, Stephen Varela.

The debates will be moderated by Steve Henson, retired editor of The Chieftain and an adjunct professor at Colorado State University Pueblo.

To submit potential questions to the candidates, visit bit.ly/pueblo-debates.

Here’s when the debates are scheduled:

Tuesday, Sept. 6 at Pueblo Community College, Hoag Theater

• 5 p.m. House District 62: Matthew Martinez (D) and Carol Riggenbach (R)

• 6:30 p.m. House District 47: Edwin Ormiston (D) and Ty Winter (R)

• 8 p.m. House District 46: Jonathan Ambler (R) and Tisha Mauro (D)

Wednesday, Sept. 7 at Pueblo Community College, Hoag Theater

• 5 p.m. Pueblo County Sheriff: David Lucero (D) and Joey Musso (R)

• 6:30 p.m. Pueblo County Commissioner District 3: Roxy Pignanelli (D) and Zach Swearingen (R)

• 8 p.m. Colorado State Senate District 3: incumbent Nick Hinrichsen (D) and Stephen Varela (R)

Thursday, Sept. 8 at Pueblo Community College, Hoag Theater

• 6 p.m. Pueblo County Treasurer: Kim Archuletta (D) and Michelle Gray (R)

• 6:35 p.m. Pueblo County Coroner: incumbent Brian Cotter (R) and Zolanye McCulley-Bachicha (D)

• 7:10 p.m. Pueblo County Assessor: incumbent Frank Beltran (D) and J. Angel Lewis (R)

• 7:45 p.m. Colorado County Clerk & Recorder: Nathan Baxter (R) and Candace Rivera (D)

Wednesday, Sept. 28 at CSU-Pueblo, Occhiato Student Center Ballroom

• 5:15 p.m. Congressional District 3: Adam Frisch (D); incumbent Congresswoman Lauren Boebert declined invitation to debate

• 5:35 p.m. US Senate: Joe O’Dea (R); incumbent Senator Michael Bennet has not confirmed

• 6 p.m. Colorado Governor Debate: Heidi Ganahl (R), incumbent Jared Polis (D)

Anna Lynn Winfrey covers politics for the Pueblo Chieftain. She can be reached at awinfrey@gannett.com or on Twitter, @annalynnfrey.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Polis, Ganahl to headline Pueblo Chamber September political debates