CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN DAN LILJENQUIST RELEASES FIRST TELEVISION SPOT
May 22, 2012
Ad Takes Aim At Senator Hatch’s Refusal to Debate, Urges Utahns to Call Senator Hatch and Demand Real Debates on Real Issues
(SALT LAKE CITY) 5/22/12 – Conservative Republican Dan Liljenquist today launched his first :30 television ad of the primary campaign, “Debate,” which takes aim at Senator Orrin Hatch’s refusal to participate in any televised debates and his refusal to participate in more than one debate in the primary.
Liljenquist’s two-week ad flight starts on broadcast television and statewide Fox News cable today, and the campaign plans to be up on the air through election day. The new ad buy is for approximately $125,000.
“When Senator Hatch first ran for the U.S. Senate 36 years ago, he challenged his primary opponent to a total of eight debates to ensure that voters heard from the candidates themselves,” said Liljenquist. “36 years later, Senator Hatch refuses to participate in even a single televised debate, and only one debate total in the entire primary. This is unacceptable.”
“If Senator Hatch continues to hide from televised debates and is unwilling to appear publicly to debate his record after nearly four decades in Washington, we will have to debate it for him,” added Liljenquist. “Utahns deserve to hear directly from the candidates themselves about the important issues confronting America.”
“I urge all Utahns to contact Senator Hatch’s campaign office at 801-797-8200 and tell him that voters deserve real debates on real issues.”
Five newspaper editorial boards across the State of Utah have called on Senator Hatch to come out of hiding and make the case for why he deserves to be reelected to an unprecedented 7th term. The Deseret News called Hatch’s debate blocking tactics “disappointing” and The Salt Lake Tribune agreed that Hatch’s acceptance of only a single midday radio debate was “cynical.” The St. George Spectrum opined that Hatch isn’t showing leadership, while The Standard-Examiner sarcastically rejected Hatch’s claim that he is too busy in Washington to debate his challenger. The Daily Herald wondered why Hatch and his staff don’t just schedule “something.”
Below please find the ad transcript. To learn more about the campaign or to set up an interview with Dan Liljenquist, please contact Holly Richardson at 801-369-2836 or by email at holly@danforutah.com.
LILJENQUIST: Debates play a critical role in Utah elections.
Senator Hatch used to believe this as well.
In nineteen seventy six, he challenged his primary opponent to eight debates.
I’ve issued the same challenge to Senator Hatch. But now he refuses to debate more than once and he refuses to debate on television entirely.
Call Senator Hatch today.
Tell him that the people of Utah deserve real debates on real issues.
I’m Dan Liljenquist, and I approve this message.

