Only 2 secretary of state candidates invited to televised debate next week

Republican Max Engling and Democrat Beau Bayh are the only candidates invited to a televised secretary of state debate set for next week.

The sponsoring TV stations FOX59/CBS4 in Indianapolis said Friday that Lincoln Party candidate Greg Ballard and Libertarian Lauri Shillings did not meet the qualification standards for participation. 

Those standards set by the stations’ parent company Nexstar include reaching at least 10% support level in nonpartisan polling.

A Free Press Indiana poll released Friday found Bayh with 43% support and Engling at 35%. Shillings had 6% support, with Ballard at 5% and 11% undecided.

The debate is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday and is set for broadcast on several Indiana stations.

All four candidates took part in an Oct. 7 televised debate sponsored by the nonprofit Indiana Debate Commission, as well as an August debate put on by the Indy Chamber.

The Ballard campaign objected to being left out of next week’s debate.

Nathan Gotsch, Ballard’s campaign manager, argued the poll cited was taken Oct. 8-11, just before the former Republican Indianapolis mayor’s TV commercials started airing around the state.

“One poorly timed poll shouldn’t determine which candidates Hoosier voters get to hear from,” Gotsch said. “A debate this close to Election Day is especially important because so many voters are still making up their minds.”