By admin 
Incumbent Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, responded to first-time congressional candidate Democrat Eric Jones’ debate challenge.
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Jones said the “district is nearly 50% brand new” and called on Thompson to agree to nine debates, one in each the newly redrawn 4th District’s nine counties, and an additional televised forum.
Thompson announced his intention to face Jones Wednesday in two match-ups, including one in a county added by Proposition 50.
In the announcement, Thompson’s campaign said in the lead-up to the June primary election, the incumbent participated in 11 debates and candidate forums with Jones.
Thompson had previously agreed to participate in a debate in Woodland hosted by the League of Women Voters of Yolo County prior to Jones’ challenge. His campaign said in a statement he will also be present at a candidate forum hosted by the Yuba-Sutter Farm Bureau in Yuba City.
“I look forward to participating in these debates to provide district residents additional opportunities to ask their questions,” said Thompson. “There are stark differences between the two of us and that will be important for voters to know.”
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Jones said in a statement that Thompson “heard us, and I’m glad he’s agreed to show up. But forums in two counties is not sufficient. A forum lets candidates read their platforms. A debate is a real conversation.”
“Nearly half of the voters in this district are new to the congressional district. They deserve more than campaign commercials and talking points,” Jones said when he posed the challenge to Thompson.
The 4th District stretches from the Napa Valley through Yolo County and into the Sacramento Valley, encompassing the conservative counties of Sutter, Yuba and Colusa under newly drawn congressional maps reshaped by the passage of Prop. 50.
The district expanded from five to nine counties, and remained primarily blue despite the conservative territories swept into its boundaries.
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